The knowing-doing gap

Ever experienced that peculiar feeling of relief when you discover it isn’t only you that thinks the way you do?

What I have found out is called the “knowing-doing gap” has given me one of those rare and tasty moments – what a relief! It’s not just me!

As a knowledge manager “knowing” and “knowledge” are right up there for me – – really important stuff. But it’s always been quite clear to me that knowing something isn’t really always the issue. Very often the real hurdle seems to be actually acting on that knowledge.

It’s like not eating fatty foods. I know I shouldn’t. There’s no need for a government information campaign to tell me what it may do to my arteries! I already know it. Like smokers already know it. Like companies often know – see, they even tell us in their “values” – they know what they ought to do. They know it. Already.

Then there are all the helpful people who give me ideas for knowledge management and what I should do to improve it. I know, I know. It’s the doing that’s the hard bit, folks.

There’s no shortage of ideas (the innovation problem isn’t about ideas – it really isn’t). And quite often there’s no shortage of knowledge either. Yeah, often there is, I know. But quite often there truly is not as well.

So is the knowledge manager giving up on knowledge? Not a bit. You see, my mission here on earth is not only about being still and knowing – it’s about applying knowledge, learning the lessons, bringing the innovation to market. Closing the gap.

You can read all about the knowing-gap here – far better than getting it from me – drink from the source. Enjoy.

 

I’m a management consultant and knowledge manager. I like to write about knowledge sharing, innovation, corporate social responsibility, the personality of organisations and learning from experience.

As ever, all views are solely my own

[re the picture at the top – the knowing doing gap made an unexpected appearance in my fortune cookie at the end of a Chinese meal. I find this sort of thing happens a lot.]

My other posts [LinkedIn]

More about the knowing-doing gap [LinkedIn]