Knowing-doing gap

2023-10

How to Avoid the Smart-Talk Trap and Turn Knowledge into Action with Design Thinking

Harvard Business Review. (1999). The Smart-Talk Trap. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/1999/05/the-smart-talk-trap [Accessed 21 Oct. 2023].

Have you ever known what to do but didn't do it? Or have you ever been in a meeting that was unproductive?

This is called the "knowing-doing gap." It's the difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it. This gap can be caused by the "smart-talk trap."

What is the smart-talk trap?

Smart talk trap: People talk and sound smart instead of taking action. This happens when knowledge is valued more than action. People use talk to show they are intelligent, competent, and influential, instead of using talk to solve problems and achieve goals.

The smart-talk trap is when people use language to sound intelligent, but their words are actually meaningless or unhelpful. It can take many forms, such as:

Being overly critical and negative without offering any solutions.
Using jargon or technical terms that most people don't understand.
Focusing on abstract or theoretical concepts that are not connected to the real world.
Talking endlessly without doing anything.
Making promises that are never kept.

Why does the smart-talk trap happen?

The smart-talk trap happens for several reasons, such as:

The conversational marketplace: People who talk more than others in a group are more likely to be seen as influential and important. They are also more likely to become leaders of new groups and to have a greater say in group decisions.
The brilliant but cruel effect: Negative book reviews make people seem smarter, but not nicer. This effect can create a culture of criticism that makes it hard for people to get things done.
The rewards and risks of talk and action: People who talk smart are often praised and promoted. Action is harder and riskier than talk, but it is also more important. Action requires effort, resources, time, and courage. It can also lead to failure, rejection, or criticism

How can the smart-talk trap harm your innovations?

The smart-talk trap can harm your organization in many ways, such as:

It can confuse people. When people use complex or abstract language, they can make it hard for others to understand what they're saying. This can lead to misunderstandings, mistakes, or disagreements.
It can discourage innovation. When people focus on the negative aspects of existing or proposed solutions, they can make it harder for others to be open and creative. Innovation requires people to be open to new ideas and to experiment.
It can prevent new ideas from being implemented. When people talk a lot but don't make decisions or take action, they can make it hard for new ideas to be put into practice. Implementing new ideas requires clarity, commitment, and collaboration.

How can you avoid the smart-talk trap and close the knowing-doing gap with design thinking?

Design thinking avoids the smart-talk trap by combining smart talk with action. Smart talk is used to empathize with users, define problems, and ideate solutions. Action is used to prototype and test solutions and learn from feedback.

Five characteristics of effective organizations (or teams) that close the knowing-doing gap:

Having people who know and do the work on the team: Teams should be composed of people who have the knowledge and skills to implement the solutions they design.
Having a bias for plain language and simple concepts: Teams should avoid using jargon and technical terms that may confuse or intimidate others.
Framing questions by asking "how" not just "why": Teams should foster a culture of inquiry and problem-solving.
Having strong mechanisms that close the loop: Teams should provide timely and constructive feedback to each other.
Believing that experience is the best teacher: Teams should create opportunities to learn by doing.

Related ideas

Action-orientation theory: People who tend to act on their knowledge and goals are more likely to achieve them. For example, a person who is high in action-orientation might be more likely to sign up for a fitness class and start working out regularly, even if they don't feel like it some days.
Theory of planned behavior: Three factors influence human behavior:
1. Attitudes: how we feel about the behavior
2. Social norms: what others expect of us
3. Perceived behavioral control: how easy or difficult we think it will be to do the behavior
Implementation intention theory: Planning exactly when, where, and how to do something makes us more likely to do it. For example, if you want to start eating healthier, you might make a plan to eat a salad for lunch every day at work.

Steve Jobs on the Knowing-Doing Gap

Steve Jobs was a known for his ability to turn ideas into reality. He was also a strong believer in the importance of action over talk.

In the following quotes, Jobs expresses his views on the knowing-doing gap and how to overcome it:

"Doers are the major thinkers." Jobs believed that the best way to learn and create is by doing. He was not afraid of making mistakes or failing, and he saw them as opportunities to learn and improve.
"Action leads to learning." Jobs was constantly experimenting and trying new things. He knew that the only way to learn is by doing.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Jobs was a master of simplicity. He was able to communicate complex ideas in a simple and elegant way.

These quotes are all relevant to the knowing-doing gap. They suggest that the best way to close the gap is to focus on action, learning, and simplicity.

Here are some specific ways to apply Jobs's advice to the knowing-doing gap:

Don't be afraid to fail. Failure is a natural part of the learning process. Don't let the fear of failure prevent you from taking action.
Experiment and try new things. The more you experiment, the more you will learn. Don't be afraid to take risks.
Focus on simplicity. When you are trying to communicate your ideas, focus on simplicity and clarity. Avoid using jargon or technical language.

The simplicity principle:

Simple can be harder than complex, but it is more effective in the long run. Simple strategies are difficult to implement and imitate, and simple language and concepts lead to action. Complex language and concepts cause confusion and inaction.

Government experts should use plain English because it allows people to understand information quickly, even for complex topics. People with high literacy and expertise prefer plain English because they have a lot to read.

Quotes by Steve Jobs

“That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. [BusinessWeek, May 25 1998]”. Steve Jobs was famous for his obsession with simplicity and elegance in design and communication.

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come…” 1994 as CEO of Pixar. This is similar to what the article says about having a bias for plain language and simple concepts and framing questions by asking "how" not just "why".

''Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations''.

''You got to be willing to fail. You've got to be willing to crash and burn, with people on the phone, with starting a company ' with whatever. If you're afraid of failing, you won't get very far''.

''Real artists ship''. This means that the true measure of creativity is not how many ideas you have, but how many you make happen.

Reference

Harvard Business Review. (1999). The Smart-Talk Trap. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/1999/05/the-smart-talk-trap [Accessed 21 Oct. 2023].

Goodreads.com. (2023). A quote by Steve Jobs. [online] Available at: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/915331-that-s-been-one-of-my-mantras-focus-and-simplicity [Accessed 23 Oct. 2023].

Jobs, S. (2023). The Socratic Method. [online] The Socratic Method. Available at: https://www.socratic-method.com/quote-meanings/steve-jobs-sometimes-when-you-innovate-you-make-mistakes-it-is-best-to-admit-them-quickly-and-get-on-with-improving-your-other-innovations [Accessed 23 Oct. 2023].

Riddle, R. (2023). Steve Jobs and NeXT: You’ve Got To Be Willing To Crash and Burn. [online] Zurb.com. Available at: https://zurb.com/blog/steve-jobs-and-next-you-ve-got-to-be-will [Accessed 29 Oct. 2023].

‌Hbs.edu. (2022). Brilliant but Cruel: Perceptions of Negative Evaluators - Article - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School. [online] Available at: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=7402 [Accessed 22 Oct. 2023].

‌Kröhler, A. and Berti, S. (2019). Taking Action or Thinking About It? State Orientation and Rumination Are Correlated in Athletes. Frontiers in Psychology, [online] 10. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00576.

Www.gov.uk. (2016). Content design: planning, writing and managing content - Writing for GOV.UK - Guidance - GOV.UK. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk [Accessed 29 Oct. 2023].

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