The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action

by Jeffrey Pfeffer, Robert I. Sutton

Every year, companies spend billions of dollars on training programs and management consultants, searching for ways to improve. But it's mostly all talk and no action, according to Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton, authors of The Knowing-Doing Gap. "Did you ever wonder why so much education and training, management consultation, organizational research and so many books and articles produce so few changes in actual management practice?" ask Stanford University professors Pfeffer and Sutton. "We wondered, too, and so we embarked on a quest to explore one of the great mysteries in organizational management: why knowledge of what needs to be done frequently fails to result in action or behavior consistent with that knowledge." The authors describe the most common obstacles to action---such as fear and inertia---and profile successful companies that overcome them.

Among the companies that Pfeffer and Sutton say do it right: General Electric, the Men's Wearhouse, SAS Institute, Southwest Airlines, Toyota, and British Petroleum. The book, based on four years of research, is broken into chapters with titles such as "When Talk Substitutes for Action," "When Fear Prevents Acting on Knowledge," "When Internal Competition Turns Friends into Enemies," and "Turning Knowledge into Action." Each chapter contains tips on what to do and what to avoid, and provides examples of how a lethargic company culture can be transformed. The Knowing-Doing Gap is a useful how-to guide for managers looking to make changes. Yet, as Pfeffer and Sutton point out, it takes more than reading their book or discussing their recommendations. It takes action. --Dan Ring

Genres: Business, Leadership, Management, Nonfiction, Productivity, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

335 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Jeffrey Pfeffer is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University where he has taught since 1979. He is the author or co-author of thirteen books including The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First; Managing with Power; The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge Into Action; Hidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People; Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total Nonsense: Profiting from Evidence-Based Management; and What Were They Thinking? Unconventional Wisdom About Management, as well as more than 150 articles and book chapters. Pfeffer’s latest book, entitled Power: Why Some People Have It—And Others Don’t was published in 2010 by Harper Business.

Dr. Pfeffer received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and his Ph.D. from Stanford. He began his career at the business school at the University of Illinois and then taught at the University of California, Berkeley. Pfeffer has been a visiting professor at the Harvard Business School, Singapore Management University, London Business School, Copenhagen Business School, and for the past 8 years a visitor at IESE in Barcelona.

From 2003-2007, Pfeffer wrote a monthly column, “The Human Factor,” for the 600,000-person circulation business magazine, Business 2.0 and from 2007-2010, he wrote a monthly column providing career advice for Capital, a leading business and economics magazine in Turkey. Pfeffer also was a regular blogger for the Corner Office section of BNET (CBS Interactive), and currently writes for the Harvard Business Review website, Bloomberg Business Week online, Inc., and for the “On Leadership” section of The Washington Post. Pfeffer has appeared in segments on CBS Sunday Morning, 60 Minutes, and CNBC as well as television and radio programs in Korea and Japan and has been quoted and featured in news articles from countries around the globe.

Pfeffer currently serves on the board of directors of the nonprofit Quantum Leap Healthcare. In the past he has served on the boards of Resumix, Unicru, and Workstream, all human capital software companies, Audible Magic, an internet company, SonoSite, a company designing and manufacturing portable ultrasound machines, and the San Francisco Playhouse, a non-profit theater. Pfeffer has presented seminars in 38 countries throughout the world as well as doing consulting and providing executive education for numerous companies, associations, and universities in the United States.

Jeffrey Pfeffer has won the Richard I. Irwin Award presented by the Academy of Management for scholarly contributions to management and numerous awards for his articles and books. He is listed in the top 25 management thinkers by Thinkers 50, and as one of the Most Influential HR International Thinkers by HR Magazine. In November, 2011, he was presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Tilburg University in The Netherlands.

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The basic premise of this book is perfectly aligned with my business philosophy - we, as managers, essentially know what to do, we just don't do it often enough. I read lots and lots of business books and in the end, I usually come to the same conclusions: I've heard most of what I've just read, the ideas are variations of a few simple philosophies, I'm energized to go out and do something. What I've realized is that by simply reminding myself how simple business is, I'm motivated to go out and do something. Unfortunately, after some time, the energy disappears, and I (and my fellow managers) go back to doing what we did before. Why?

This excellent little book points out the reasons that companies fail to act on what they know. While I won't lay them all out, a few stand out for me:

*Talking substitutes for action - we spend to much time reporting and presenting
*Poor metrics - employees spend time worrying about their personal metrics (which are usually misguided in the first place) instead of moving the business forward (this isn't their fault!)
*Too much focus on outcomes instead of the process that led to the outcomes
*Too much asking "how" instead of "why"

One great quote from the book, "the foundation of any successfully run business is a strategy everyone understands coupled with a few key measures that are routinely tracked".

I wish I could build a consulting practice around this book because too many companies I meet can't make it over the knowing-doing gap!

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book goes into one of the biggest problems that companies face - going from knowing something to doing something about it. The chapter titles:

1. knowing "what" to do is not enough
2. when talk substitutes for action
3. when memory is a substitute for thinking
4. when fear prevents acting on knowledge
5. when measurement obstructs good judgment
6. when internal competition turns friends into enemies
7. firms that surmount the knowing-doing gap
8. turning knowledge into action

There's lots of good information in the book, and to me, the single biggest takeaway was:

How to overcome the tendency to substitute talk for action: Impose a real deadline with real measures.

The final chapter gives 8 guidelines for action:
1. Why before how: philosophy is important
2. Knowing comes from doing and teaching others how
3. Action counts more than elegant plans and concepts
4. There is no doing without mistakes. What is the company's response?
5. Fear fosters knowing-doing gaps, so drive out fear.
6. Beware of false analogies: fight the competition, not each other
7. Measure what matters and what can help turn knowledge into action
8. What leaders do, how they spend their time and how they allocate resources, matters

[Rick Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Companies don’t excel when they fail to act on knowledge that is readily available in their organizations. This book describes five root causes of the knowing-doing gap along with methods for counteracting them. The areas are: substituting talk for action, defaulting to precedent, stifling action with fear, poorly applied measurement, and unhealthy internal competition. The examples are somewhat dated, but the principles are sound. I will mention a few things that stood out to me. First, don’t undervalue simplicity – simple solutions lead to action. Second, foster a bias toward action by removing practices that promote the fear of failure. Third, watch for how individual “status” is defined and redirect it towards collaboration and achieving common goals. There are many more good points and useful examples to help identify problem areas and make the changes needed to close the knowing-doing gap. Definitely a worthwhile read.

[Attila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong opening, but then ends with a rather weak last two chapters. Also a little too long.

On the positive side, I liked the first part, more than 20 years after this book was published it is still very valid. We have a talk shop culture and translating knowledge to action is still something most companies struggle with it.

I have gained some vocabulary and some patterns that I can use to spot sources for inaction. Good. Recommended to read!

[Ghuraify Alawi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a remarkable source of insight about an important issue in organizations. It goes beyond the traditional understanding of knowledge and presents valuable scenarios of how leaders should work to bridge the gap between knowing and doing

[Omar Halabieh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main premise of this book as the authors best summarize it is: "Why knowledge of what needs to be done frequently fails to result in action or behavior consistent with that knowledge. We came to call this the knowing-doing problem - the challenge of turning knowledge about how to enhance organizational performance into actions consistent with that knowledge. This book presents what we learned about the factors that contribute to the knowledge doing gap and why and how some organizations are more successful than others in implementing their knowledge."

The book then analyzes the reasons and causes of this gap through numerous examples and presents eight main recommendations: "Eight Guidelines for Action: 1) Why before How: Philosophy Is Important 2) Knowing Comes from Doing and Teaching Others How. 3) Action Counts More Than Elegant Plans and Concepts. 4) There Is No Doing without Mistakes. What Is the Company's Response? 5) Fear Fosters Knowing-Doing Gaps, So Drive Out Fear. 6) Beware of False Analogies: Fight the Competition, Not Each Other. 7) Measure What Matters and What Can Help Turn Knowledge into Action. 8) What Leaders Do, How They Spend Their Time and How They Allocate Resources, Matters."

A very applicable, educational and action oriented book. One that echoes the fundamentals of execution and its importance as the ultimate benchmark of success. A must read in the area of management!

Below are key excerpts from the book:

1- "...although knowledge creation, benchmarking, and knowledge management may be important, transforming knowledge into organization action is at least as important to organizational success."

2- "Attempting to copy just what is done - the explicit practices and policies - without holding the underlying philosophies at once a more difficult task and an approach that is less likely to be successful."

3- "Talk is also valued because, as noted earlier, the quantity and "quality" of talk can be assessed immediately, but the quality of leadership or management capability, the ability to get things done, can be assessed only with greater time lag."

4- "It is possible, albeit difficult, to build strong cultures founded on principles and philosophy that can also innovate and change. But doing so requires much thought and attention. Otherwise, firms are readily trapped by their history, even if, or particularly if, that history has many positive elements in it, as Saturn's does."

5- "Conversely, fear is an enemy of the abilitiy to question the past or break free from precedent."

6- "It is clear to us that merely knowing what measurement practices should be used does not, by itself, cause leaders to implement measures that produce intelligent, mindful, learning behavior rather than the reverse."

7- "In each of the instances in which effective measurement practices were used, knowing what to do, why it needed to be done, and having the persistence and courage to do it helped leaders turn knowledge about how to enhance performance into organizational action."

8- "As Dean Tjosvold, a researcher and writer on the subject of competition and cooperation, noted, "Competition stimulates, excites, and is useful in some circumstance, but those situations do not occur frequently in organizations, and the widespread use of competition cannot be justified.""

9- "Harlow Cohen, the president of a Cleveland, Ohio, consulting firm, has called this gap between knowing and doing the performance paradox: "Managers know what to do to improve performance, but actually ignore or act in contradiction to either their strongest instincts or to the data available to them.""

10- "Knowing about the knowing-doing gap is different from doing something about it. Understanding causes is helpful because such understanding can guide action. But by itself, this knowing is insufficient - action must occur."

[Yor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro maravilloso de ciencias empresariales, y en particular sobre liderazgo corporativo y emprendedurismo, publicado en 1999, los autores describen sus hallazgos de la cultura corporativa de su época, desafíos, y estrategias para promover el conocimiento, ideas en acción dentro de las empresas y la mejor de sus organizaciones.

Me gustó descubrir varios ejemplos de la banca de inversión, manufactura, y de empresas de tecnología, recomendable para una lectura de entretenimiento, profesional e inspiradora sobre liderazgo empresarial.

Índice
Preface
1. Knowing “What” to Do is Not Enough
2. When Talk Substitutes for Action
3. When Memory Is a Substitute for Thinking.
4. When Fear Prevents Acting on Knowledge
5. When Measurement Obstructs Good Judgment
6. When Internal Competition Turns Friends into Enemies
7. Firms That Surmount the Knowing-Doing Gap
8. Turning Knowledge into Action
Appendix: The Knowing-Doing Survey
Notes
About the Authors


Algunas frases o trechos del libros que quisiera recordar:

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Toyota Production System (TPS)

“Knowledge management tends to focus on specific practices and ignore the importance of philosophy”

“Several of America’s most forward-thinking companies─including Motorola and General Electric─study it as a source of ideas about leadership and learning. Acquiring knowledge through practice, performance, and even failure is indispensable for organizations of all sizes and types.”

“One learns to be a leader by serving as a leader.”

“Unfortunately for getting anything done in organization, one of the best ways of sounding smart is to be critical of others’ ideas. The devastating intellectual put-down is sometimes part and parcel of the academic game.”

------------------
English
“Simple language and avoiding complexity also have another advantage. simple philosophies, practices, and ideas are, ironically, probably unlikely to be imitated by outsiders and competitors. since most organizations are trapped in their love of complexity, few will believe that a firm’s success is based on such simple premises.”
Español
“El lenguaje simple y evitar la complejidad también tiene otra ventaja. Irónicamente, es poco probable que las filosofías, prácticas e ideas simples sean imitadas por los forasteros y competidores. Dado que la mayoría de las organizaciones están atrapadas en su amor por la complejidad, pocos creerán que el éxito de una empresa se basa en premisas tan simples."
-----------------
“It is easier to encourage questioning behaviors, to have people take on new assignments they have never done before, and to create dramatic breaks with the past, including starting new units, in an atmosphere of trust and safety. Conversely, fear is an enemy of the ability to question the past or break free from precedent.”
“Fear helps create knowing-doing gaps because acting on one’s knowledge requires that a person believe he or she will not be punished for doing so─that taking risks based on new information and insight will be rewarded, not punished. When people fear for their jobs, their futures, or even for their self-esteem, it is unlikely that they will feel secure enough to do anything but what they have done in the past. Fear will cause them to repeat past mistakes and recreate past problems, even when they know better ways of doing the work.”
“In today’s environment of corporate downsizing, many workers may consider themselves privileged just to have a job. Only a minority (38%( are very confident of their ability to quickly find new employment.”
---
“The traditional leadership model is based on a competitive dynamic that emphasizes winning a contest in which one person’s success requires the failure of others. In school, success is defined in terms of clases rank ─ a zero-sum, competitive outcome. Once on the job, the race to triumph over peers is more intense and the odds of winning are even smaller than in school. In consulting firms and investment banks, only a small fraction of each cohort rises to become partners. Even once partnership is achieved, partners’ compensation frequently depends on doing better than other partners. In companies, promotion up the ladder requires winning a tournament competing against peers. And so it goes. The people in our society who have the greatest influence over how firms are organized, either because they manage them or they give advice to those who manage them, are also people who are the most heavily trained and rewarded to believe that internal competition is the best way to organize human activity. It is little wonder that internal competitive dynamics in firms are so pervasive.”

----
Ways of Overcoming Destructive Internal Competition
Hire, reward, and retain people in part based on their ability and willingness to work cooperatively with others for the company’s welfare.
Fire, demote, and punish people who act only in their individual short-term self-interest.
Avoid compensation and performance measurement systems that create internal competition.
Have measure that assess cooperation.
Build a culture that defines individual success partly by the success of the person’s peers.
Promote people to top management positions who have a history of building groups where members cooperate, share information, and provide each other mutual assistance.
Use power and authority to get people and units to share information, to learn from each other, and to work collaboratively to enhance overall performance. “
-------------
“Why before How: Philosophy Is Important”

---
There Is No Doing without Mistakes. What Is the Company’s Response?
“In building a culture of action, one of the most critical elements is what happens when things go wrong. Actions, even those that are well planned, inevitably entail the risk of being wrong.”
“A promising junior executive of IBM was involved in a risky venture for the company and managed to lose over $10 million in the gamble. It was a disaster. When Watson called the nervouses executive into his office, the young man blurted out, “I guess you want my resignation?” Watson said, “You can’t be serious. We just spent $10 million dollars educating you!”
---
“Putting people first and driving out fear are not just ideas to be implemented when times are good. You can downsize, you can even close a facility, but do it in a way that maintains employee dignity and well-being and, as a consequence, productivity and performance.”

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

as somebody who dabbles in knowledge management as part of my job, this book has helped me recognize the processes that cause problems in my company and identify ways in which I may be able to change those issues. However, it is a company-wide effort to enact changes. All in all this is the best knowledge management book I read in my search for a good one.

[N Lationo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for those of us who were brought up in the incorrect system, one that emphasises competition even among friends and the need to be well-versed in all areas of life without being taught the full extent of the consequences of these demands on our present and future selves. It may come as a surprise, but this book is useful not just for making your business more action-oriented; it also provides concepts that may be applied to other areas.

Title: The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action
Authors: Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton
Genres: Business, Leadership, Management, Nonfiction, Entrepreneurship, Productivity.

Summary:

- Organizations foster dysfunctional internal competition, undermining knowledge-to-action conversion.
- Competition doesn't always lead to better performance; winning a competition isn't the same as performing well.
- Positive expectations enhance performance, while negative expectations decrease it.
- Relative performance evaluations and merit ratings breed internal competition, undermining motivation and self-worth.
- Praising everyone to success instead of labelling some as inferior helps maintain motivation and effort.
- Internal competition often has a high cost to the organization, as individuals prioritize personal success over cooperation.
- Internal competition hinders performance on complex tasks that require learning and creativity.
- Interdependence, not independence, drives productivity, performance, and innovation in organizations.
- Traditional leadership models based on competition overlook the importance of cooperation and empathy.
- Companies can turn knowledge into action by focusing on external competition, fostering collaboration, and promoting a sharing culture.
- Overcoming destructive internal competition involves hiring and rewarding cooperative individuals, avoiding internal competition, and modelling collaborative behaviour.
- Formal mechanisms and a cooperative culture are essential for effective knowledge-to-action conversion.
- Turning knowledge into action requires rethinking, involving employees, and making bold changes.
- Start with a philosophy and general guidance, prioritize doing and teaching, and focus on action over plans.
- Respond to mistakes positively, drive out fear, and fight external competition, not each other.
- Measure what matters and allocate resources accordingly.
- Leadership behaviour and resource allocation significantly impact knowledge-to-action conversion.

The key message is that organizations should prioritize collaboration, foster a sharing culture, and eliminate destructive internal competition to effectively turn knowledge into action.

In this insightful business book, the author adeptly elucidates the art of transforming knowledge into actionable steps. With remarkable clarity, the author guides readers through a comprehensive framework that empowers individuals to bridge the gap between theory and practice. By distilling complex concepts into easily digestible insights, the author equips readers with the tools necessary to effectively translate knowledge into tangible results. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to harness the power of actionable knowledge and drive meaningful change in their personal and this remarkable piece of literature, the author skillfully crafts a text that is both accessible and comprehensible to a wide range of readers. By eschewing excessive theoretical jargon and complex vocabulary, the author ensures that the content remains approachable and easily digestible. This strategic choice not only enhances the reader's understanding but also fosters a sense of inclusivity, making this book a valuable resource for individuals from various backgrounds and levels of expertise. In this insightful business book, the author skillfully illustrates the importance of a key skill by providing compelling examples of companies that have truly excelled in its application. Through meticulous research and analysis, the author demonstrates how these exemplary organisations have harnessed this skill to achieve remarkable success in their respective industries. By showcasing these real-world examples, the author effectively drives home the significance of this skill and inspires readers to adopt it in their business endeavours. This book is a must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur or business professional seeking to This book offers a wealth of knowledge and insights that are sure to enhance one's performance and productivity. I wholeheartedly endorse it as a must-read for individuals seeking personal and professional growth.

[Muzammil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #107: – The Knowing-Doing Gap – Jeffrey Pfeffer & Robert I. Sutton #myread4change #read2lead #read4life #books #selfhelpbook #Thoughts #action

Knowing what to do, and not doing the same is as good as not knowing what to do – Robin Sharma

As the above adage goes, most of the time we know what we are supposed to do for anything we want to accomplish, yet we find ourselves not doing it or worse, doing the opposite.

The Knowing-doing Gap shares a few important ideas about why we don't act on what we know, and more importantly how we can close or narrow the gap.

The book discusses the knowing-doing gap mainly keeping corporates in mind; however, it applies to individuals equally and we can learn from it.

Few Key Points –

• One of the main barriers to turning knowledge into action is the tendency to treat talking about something as equivalent to actually doing something.

• One of the main recommendations is to engage more frequently in thoughtful action. Spend less time just contemplating and talking about the problems.

• Competitive advantage comes from being able to do something others can’t do. Anyone can read a book. The trick is in turning the knowledge acquired into action.

• The author makes a good point in differentiating the smart talker and the better performer. As talk is immediate and action is later. We often don’t have time to follow through on what people do, we often judge people on what they say or know, which barely assures a good performance.

• Fear is one of the reasons, people often hesitate to act on their knowledge, as the outcome may not be well received if it is not as expected.

• Knowing comes from doing and teaching others how – Knowing by doing develops a deeper and more profound level of knowledge and virtually by definition eliminates the knowing-doing gap.

Few Quotes –

1. Taking action will generate experience from which you can learn.

2. If You Know by Doing, There Is No Gap Between What You Know and What You Do.

3. Treat failure to act as the only actual failure; punish inaction, not unsuccessful actions.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you read an old business book, lots of questions come to mind: is the advice relevant? What's changed in the interim? How durable are these kinds of books?

The Knowing-Doing Gap is unique because of the durability of the problem, but ultimately the lack of concrete methods to address it.

The underlying issue is that most people know 'best practices' for certain operations. These aren't rocket science, yet people routinely don't do them. The authors aim to tackle why.

In the end, what results is a mish-mash of case studies and general thoughts. Saturn is seen as a positive example in one paragraph, and a counter-example in the next.

Ultimately, the best lesson comes from the simple fact that you really can only achieve results through action, and that knowledge comes from doing that action.

There's probably reason that the challenge is so hard, that are hard to articulate but are becoming clearer.

First, an organization's 'attention' bandwidth is limited. As there are only 24 hours in a day, there's only so much you can do and communicate. Attempt to push the limit there, and you end up giving 'updates about updates.' There's probably some fundamental law here (similar to Shannon's law for actual bandwidth), but we haven't found it yet.

Second, conservatism is usually the right strategy. Simply because it's what's "always worked." This phenomenon is treated well in the Innovators Dilemma, but also just what now appears to be common sense. Something isn't actually broken until it's *really* no longer working. Learning new infrastructure and ways of working is extremely hard. It's way more costly than most people realize. For those reasons, organizations are generally extremely resistant to change.

On balance, the thoughts provoked by this book were worth the pain of some of the more muddled chapters. A nice tour through history as well.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Companies pay consultants astounding amounts of money, and then sit on the reports. Sometimes, they will hire new consultants for the exact same analysis. Why are there so many gaps between what firms know they should do and what they actually do? Why do so many companies fail to implement the experience and insight they've worked so hard to acquire? The Knowing-Doing Gap is the first book to confront the challenge of turning knowledge about how to improve performance into actions that produce measurable results.

Why I started this book: I checked this book out and then it sat on my shelf judging me, for far too long. Ironically, I couldn't act on the knowledge I had at my fingertips.

Why I finished it: This book was surprisingly straight-forward once I picked it up. Pfeffer and Sutton talk about how talk, habit or fear can get in the way of trying something new. As a daughter of an engineer, I had my share of lectures of the value of practical application of information versus the theoretical knowledge. We all suffer from it, but companies that can narrow that gap, shorten the reaction loop can reap great rewards. Written and published twenty years ago, some of the examples feel dated... but others still ring true.

[Matt Hutson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Knowing-Doing Gap is a transformative guide for individuals and organizations seeking to bridge the divide between understanding what needs to be done and actually doing it. The book’s central premise—that knowledge alone isn’t power—challenges a deeply ingrained belief in both personal and professional spheres. Instead, the authors emphasize that the real value of knowledge lies in its application, highlighting the critical importance of behavior and action in achieving meaningful results.

Key Premise: Knowledge Alone Isn’t Power
The book dismantles the common assumption that knowing is enough to succeed. While information is more accessible than ever, Pfeffer and Sutton argue that knowledge without action is essentially useless. This concept is especially resonant today, where the abundance of resources, tutorials, and strategies often leads people into a false sense of progress. Merely absorbing information, whether through books, meetings, or training sessions, doesn’t create change—it’s the execution of that knowledge that leads to results.

This insight is a wake-up call for those stuck in perpetual learning mode, reminding them that progress comes not from what they know, but from what they do with that knowledge.

The Role of Behavior in Bridging the Gap
Pfeffer and Sutton assert that action is the missing link between knowledge and results. Adopting actionable behaviors is more important than endless planning, strategizing, or theorizing. This approach aligns with the idea that doing—even imperfectly—is often more beneficial than waiting for the perfect moment.

For example, when organizations focus solely on accumulating data or creating elaborate plans without a clear implementation strategy, they risk stagnation. This applies to personal life as well: spending hours researching a fitness routine won’t improve health unless you commit to physical activity.

Overcoming Fear of Failure
A major obstacle to action is the fear of making mistakes. Pfeffer and Sutton explore how this fear paralyzes decision-making, leading people and organizations to remain in their comfort zones. The authors advocate for embracing failure as a learning opportunity, emphasizing that mistakes are an inevitable part of progress.

This perspective is particularly liberating for those who avoid taking risks, as it reframes failure as a stepping stone rather than a roadblock. By focusing on learning through doing, individuals and organizations can cultivate resilience and adaptability.

Execution Over Perfection
One of the book’s most practical lessons is the value of taking imperfect action. Waiting for the “perfect” plan often leads to analysis paralysis—a state where overthinking prevents meaningful progress. Pfeffer and Sutton encourage readers to act decisively, even if the circumstances are less than ideal.

This philosophy is empowering, especially for perfectionists. It reinforces the idea that progress is often messy and iterative, but each step forward provides clarity and momentum.

Creating a Culture of Action
A recurring theme in The Knowing-Doing Gap is the importance of fostering a culture that prioritizes doing over knowing. In organizations, this means encouraging employees to apply their knowledge rather than merely acquiring it. Pfeffer and Sutton suggest practical strategies for leaders, such as rewarding action, simplifying decision-making processes, and reducing bureaucracy.

On a personal level, this principle reminds individuals to create environments that support their goals. For instance, setting up small daily habits can reinforce a bias toward action, turning intentions into results.

The Problem of Overthinking
The authors critique the tendency to overanalyze problems instead of taking concrete steps toward solutions. This habit, prevalent in both professional and personal contexts, leads to wasted time and missed opportunities.

By shifting the focus from thinking to doing, Pfeffer and Sutton argue that individuals and organizations can uncover insights that planning alone cannot provide. This resonates with anyone who has ever procrastinated on starting a project due to overthinking its complexities.

Learning Through Doing
Action is not just a means to an end—it’s a powerful teacher. Pfeffer and Sutton highlight how taking action often reveals what works and what doesn’t, providing clarity and direction.

This aligns with my personal experience. For example, when I first started teaching, I learned more from interacting with students and adapting on the fly than from any theoretical training. This hands-on approach clarified my teaching philosophy and improved my effectiveness.

Addressing Organizational Hypocrisy
The book also addresses a critical issue in organizational culture: the gap between what companies say and what they do. Pfeffer and Sutton highlight how this disconnect erodes trust and hinders progress. Aligning actions with stated values isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business.

This lesson applies to personal integrity as well. Living in alignment with one’s values fosters authenticity and builds trust in relationships.

Breaking Down Barriers to Action
The authors provide practical strategies for identifying and dismantling barriers to action. These include breaking goals into smaller, manageable steps, reducing fear of failure, and creating accountability structures.

For example, if an organization struggles to implement a new initiative, it might start with a pilot program to test its feasibility. Similarly, individuals can overcome inertia by setting micro-goals, such as writing for five minutes a day instead of aiming to complete an entire book.

The Personal Takeaway: Action as a Daily Practice
Reading The Knowing-Doing Gap has transformed how I approach both personal and professional challenges. It reinforced the idea that action, no matter how small or imperfect, is the only way to bridge the gap between knowledge and results.

For anyone stuck in the “knowing” phase, this book is an invaluable resource. It challenges readers to reflect on where they’re hesitating and inspires them to take that crucial first step toward meaningful progress.

[Tim Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

While “the knowing-doing gap” was published 21 years ago, it is still very relevant today.

I see so many people that misunderstand the difference between information and action.

The knowing-doing gap. The assumption is that if I give you knowledge (usually in the form of PowerPoint) you will go and do something.

Knowing and doing are two, very different things.

This book walks you through, what you, as a business needs to go to bridge that gap.

I have to admit that even though the book is 21 years old, the case studies were not that out-of-date. I certainly still go something out of it.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent book on knowledge management in the corporate setting. A big positive is that most case studies are valid perpetually not just due to tech debt, and in turn this isn't yet a sycophantic ode to Big Tech and more gadgets. It focuses on behavioural and cultural changes. Only 4 stars because it's really really dry. I had to take plenty of breaks reading more simulating/fun books. If you're reading this for work or professional development all the best.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on Career Tools (Micro-Communications)

We talked recently about managerial communications, looking at the various ways you as a manager can deliver your message and the organization's messages to your team. There's more to talk about there, but we're going to tackle a different type of communication this time.
http://www.manager-tools.com/2006/02/...

[Ta Dat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn sách hay mang lại nhiều suy nghĩ và đúng như tinh thần của cuốn sách. Đừng quá nghĩ nhiều hãy tập trung vào hành động để xóa bỏ khoảng cách từ nói đến làm, từ kiến thức khác biến thành hành động cụ thể.

[Cyril Danthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The knowing-doing gap is about knowledge management and how knowledge management is important for organising success. The author narrates 8 principles of why knowledge management fails to take off and provides recommendations on enhancing knowledge management.

[Romeo Verga · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good key point drawn from this book. not overly fluffed with anecdotes can draw value from this book. this has continued my momentum in taking action any kind of action.

[Sven Emmrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concept in the title is fantastic to understand why so many people know but don't act...

[Deiwin Sarjas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I'm neither in a managerial nor an executive position, I feel that a lot of the book was still very relevant to me. Most notably, substituting talk and planning for action is something that can and does happen at all levels of an organization, not just the executive. Same goes for knowing by reading vs knowing by doing. Similarly, I suppose some of these lessons carry over from the professional to the personal life, which hope was partly the reason I picked this book up in the first place.

This book will hopefully force me to be more conscious about my future choices of learning vs doing. E.g. reading about vs actually programming.

The rating partially reflects my expectations and partially the actual content.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A number of important insights presented in a very simple and straightforward (i.e. not very academic, although the authors are both professors at Stanford) way. Good for them. They make a strong case that competition...at least internal competition...is not all it's cracked up to be. I also liked their presentation of studies on self-fulfilling prophecy...e.g. if leaders/teachers EXPECT a certain group of students/employees to do well, bada bing, they tend to actually do so. Interesting.

Although they don't cite them, a number of parallels to Argyris & Kets de Vries. Kind of hard to tell what their contribution to the scholarship was aside from developing case studies (or having their students do so), but that may have just been because it was not written in a theory-driven way.

[Araz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best management books that I've read. It really gets to the heart of what holds organizations back from learning and performing. I found it really relevant at the time I was working with AIESEC; when it felt like all the people in the organization were doing was just talking about doing something, but not actually bringing what was in our minds alive in our every day. It's quite useful from the perspective of what types of systems can be put into place to support individuals in the organization to apply their learning. It's also useful from an individual perspective to think of what specific things you do to take what you 'learn' from say a speech or a text you read or some other form of 'static' learning, to dynamically applying that learning.

[Alex Jonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did a great job of presenting an important idea in business, the knowing-doing gap, something that probably deserves a great deal more attention than it gets. People are really focused on knowing what the right thing to do for their business is, but no one seems to give much thought to the fact that people might already know what to do, but not be doing it. This books points out a lot of reasons why people might not be doing what they know they should do, with some ideas that might be helpful in thinking about how to overcome it. It didn't completely blow my mind, but it's the kind of thing anyone in business should be keeping in the back of their mind when they want to get anything accomplished.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another topic in which I am in the middle of currently, but so far, it is hitting the nail on the head.

Being from an industry that contains everyday professed experts, I have found it hard and discouraging to see the amount of "managers" that roam the offices today without a background or clue as too how things are to be implemented. Sitting through meeting after meeting in which these said managers proclaim change and growth through "learned" or "read" tactics, I know first hand how the gap widens when the wrong individuals attempt their goals.

For those of us who want more from their companies and mostly their managers, take this one on.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent reminder of some of the factors that get in the way of corporate success - when people (incl senior leadership) at a company know what to do, but are unable to execute their plans.

The key factors that they discuss are: talk substituting for action, memory substituting for thinking, fear preventing acting on knowledge, measurement obstructing good judgement, and internal competition turning friends into enemies.

[Lamec Mariita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a must read for anyone struggling to implement new strategies. What's amazing about the a book is that most of it is actually common sense. It uncovers some common mistakes we do but we're afraid to correct them. It's very helpful in linking strategy to action. It's straight forward and easy to read. It's a must read for every business leader who wants to get out from under knowing what to do and move to doing the things that need to be done to move their organization forward.

[Duncan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meeeehhhh

Not bad, but nothing really new or terribly insightful. Expected more from Pfeffer. It's an ok book on org change, but it's too boringly written and its cases lack the right level of detail and supporting data to avoid being simply generic and quickly forgettable. The quotes are particularly bad; they tend be to be repetitive, vague, meaningless or too abstract.

I find that better writers (such as the Heath brothers) can bring these org change themes to life in more impactful ways.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, this book isn't the most current out there. But it does make some good points how organizations get bogged down talking about doing things, then don't do them. Even good managers know what to do, but have all kinds of reasons for not acting. If you feel your company is held back because of failure to act, read this. It may help you get moving again.

[Prahlad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear writing that transmits the core idea that knowing is not enough, and often doing with partial knowing is better than delayed action. The book shows an interesting link between enabling doing and the wider culture within the organisation. A good manifesto of actions and priorities at the end of the book is a helpful reference.