peopleanalyst

library / lib39d6999351bbc541

Knowing Doing Gap Pfeffer

In a sentence

Why organizations so often fail to act on what they already know, and what the rare firms that turn knowledge into action do differently.

Drawing on four years of qualitative and quantitative research across dozens of companies, Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton identify the 'knowing-doing gap'—the pervasive failure of firms to implement knowledge they already possess about how to enhance performance. The book argues that competitive advantage comes not from knowing the right thing but from the far harder task of actually doing it. Through vivid cases (Southwest, SAS Institute, The Men's Wearhouse, AES, British Petroleum, Barclays Global Investors, Saturn, GM, Xerox, Sunbeam), the authors diagnose five recurring internal barriers—talk substituting for action, memory substituting for thinking, fear, dysfunctional measurement, and internal competition—and show how the best firms overcome them by grounding action in philosophy, learning by doing, driving out fear, measuring what matters, and fostering cooperation. It is a practical, evidence-based guide for leaders frustrated that their smart organizations keep doing things they know are wrong.

The four lenses

  • Science
  • Statistics
  • Systems
  • Strategy

The model

A causal model in which organizational design levers and contextual conditions shape psychological and behavioral states that either widen or close the gap between what an organization knows and what it does, ultimately affecting the implementation of performance knowledge and organizational performance.

Guiding Philosophy and Valuesdesign lever

The presence of a clear, widely shared underlying philosophy, business model, and set of core values that explain why the firm operates as it does and provide general guidance for action rather than only specific techniques.

Learning by Doing and Teachingdesign lever

The extent to which the organization embeds knowledge acquisition in the actual performance of work, apprenticeship, coaching, and teaching others, rather than relying on classroom instruction, reading, or codified reports alone.

Action Orientation vs. Talk Substitutionbehavioral pattern

The degree to which the organization treats action as valued and ensures decisions, plans, and talk lead to implementation, versus allowing meetings, presentations, mission statements, and smart talk to substitute for doing anything.

Mindless Reliance on Precedentbehavioral pattern

The tendency of the organization to use memory, history, standard operating procedures, and taken-for-granted assumptions as automatic substitutes for fresh thinking, thereby resisting new knowledge and change.

Fear and Distrustpsychological state

The pervasiveness of fear, distrust, and threat of punishment in the workplace that causes people to hide bad news, focus on short-term self-preservation, avoid risk, and repeat past behavior rather than act on knowledge.

Quality of Measurement Practicesdesign lever

Whether the firm's measurement system is simple, process-focused, aggregate, and tied to its business model and culture, versus overly complex, short-term, outcome-only, individually focused, and dominated by conventional accounting.

Internal Competitioncontextual condition

The degree to which management practices (forced rankings, individual bonuses, zero-sum rewards, status contests) pit people and units against each other, undermining cooperation, knowledge sharing, and loyalty.

Cooperation and Knowledge Sharingbehavioral pattern

The extent to which people and units within the firm help each other, share information, transfer best practices, and identify with the whole organization rather than hoarding knowledge or protecting individual status.

Implementation of Performance Knowledgeoutcome metric

The core outcome of the model: the extent to which the organization actually turns what it knows about enhancing performance into consistent action and management practice, i.e., the closing of the knowing-doing gap.

Organizational Performanceoutcome metric

The ultimate result the model predicts: superior quality, service, retention, innovation, and financial results achieved by firms that consistently translate knowledge into action.

How they connect

  • guiding philosophy → predicts action orientation
  • learning by doing → predicts knowledge implementation
  • action orientation → predicts knowledge implementation
  • reliance on precedent − predicts knowledge implementation
  • organizational fear − moderates knowledge implementation
  • measurement quality → moderates knowledge implementation
  • internal competition − predicts cooperation knowledge sharing
  • cooperation knowledge sharing → predicts knowledge implementation
  • internal competition − mediates knowledge implementation
  • knowledge implementation → predicts organizational performance

The story

The reader A manager or leader who knows what should be done to improve organizational performance and wants their firm to actually act on that knowledge.

External problem

The organization repeatedly fails to implement practices its people already know will enhance performance.

Internal problem

The leader feels frustrated, defeated, and puzzled that being smart and working hard doesn't translate into real change.

Philosophical problem

It is simply wrong for firms full of intelligent, well-intentioned people to waste that talent by letting knowledge sit unused.

The plan

  1. Start with philosophy and values ('why') before adopting specific practices ('how').
  2. Learn by doing and by teaching others, embedding knowledge acquisition in real work.
  3. Act rather than let talk, plans, and meetings substitute for action; follow up on decisions.
  4. Break free of mindless precedent and question inherited assumptions.
  5. Drive out fear and treat mistakes as learning.
  6. Use few, simple, process-focused measures tied to your business model.
  7. Aim competitive energy at external rivals and reward cooperation internally.

Success

  • Knowledge—new and old—is turned into action with startling immediacy.
  • The firm enjoys durable competitive advantage because it can do what others merely know.
  • People work in a cooperative, fear-free culture where they learn by doing and take initiative.
  • Performance improves in quality, service, retention, and financial results.

At stake

  • The firm endures the 'performance paradox,' knowing what to do yet acting against it.
  • Talent, insight, and motivation are wasted as a 'brain vacuum' sucks wisdom out of the organization.
  • Fear, internal rivalry, and flawed measures perpetuate poor and predictable performance.
  • Competitors that can act on knowledge pull decisively ahead.

Questions this book answers

Why does so much education, training, consulting, and research produce so little change in what organizations actually do?
What specific organizational factors create the gap between knowing and doing?
Why do some organizations consistently turn knowledge into action while others cannot?
How can leaders close the knowing-doing gap in their own firms?

Glossary

Guiding Philosophy and Values
A clear, shared underlying philosophy, business model, and set of core values that explains why the firm operates as it does and guides action across contexts.
Learning by Doing and Teaching
The organizational practice of acquiring and transferring knowledge through actual performance of work, apprenticeship, coaching, and teaching rather than through classroom instruction or codified documents alone.
Action Orientation vs. Talk Substitution
The extent to which an organization ensures that talk, plans, and decisions lead to implementation, rather than allowing meetings, presentations, and mission statements to substitute for doing.
Mindless Reliance on Precedent
The organizational tendency to use history, standard operating procedures, and unexamined assumptions as automatic substitutes for fresh thinking, resisting new knowledge and change.
Fear and Distrust
The prevalence of fear, distrust, and threat of punishment that causes employees to hide bad news, avoid risk, focus on short-term self-preservation, and repeat past behavior.
Quality of Measurement Practices
The degree to which the firm's measurement system is simple, process-focused, aggregate, and aligned with its business model, versus overly complex, short-term, outcome-only, individually focused, and accounting-driven.
Internal Competition
The degree to which management practices create zero-sum contests among individuals and units—forced rankings, individual bonuses, status contests—that undermine cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing
The extent to which people and units help one another, share information, transfer best practices, and identify with the whole organization rather than hoarding knowledge or protecting status.

Related in the library