Storytelling 
Passport to the 21st Century
John Seely Brown, Steve Denning, 
Katalina Groh, Larry Prusak: 
Some of the world's leading thinkers
explore the role of storytelling in the world

 I Introduction to storytelling I John Seely Brown on science I Steve Denning on change I Katalina Groh on video
Larry Prusak on organization I Discussion I | Contact us | Bibliography on storytelling

Storytelling to ignite change: Steve Denning
The knowing-doing gap 

  There’s a lot of talk these days about closing the knowledge-action gap. People know what to do, but they don’t do it! Big problem in large organizations today. Well, I’m talking, not so much about closing the knowing-doing gap. I’m talking about eliminating the knowing-doing gap. How could this be?
 Now if I say, “I want you to launch tomorrow morning a knowledge-sharing program in your unit with the following characteristics,” this idea, my idea, is coming at you like a missile. It’s my idea, and it’s entering your territory, and you’re starting to think, “How can I somehow deal with this incoming missile? 
How can I get out of its path?” And here you are. You are right in the middle of the knowing-doing gap.
 But if I say, “Let me tell you about something that happened in Pakistan just a few weeks ago,” then you start to imagine, “Well, if that’s how it was in Pakistan, 

maybe we could start to do the same thing in my unit.” And so the little voice Is making it your own idea. It’s your own baby. And it’s starting to think your implementation, even while the speaker is still speaking. And so there is no knowledge-action gap. There is nothing to get in the way of your implementing the idea.
Books and videos on storytelling 
*** In Good Company : How Social Capital Makes Organizations Work
by Don Cohen, Laurence Prusak (February 2001) Harvard Business School Press
*** The Social Life of Information, by John Seely Brown, Paul Duguid
(February 2000) Harvard Business School Press
*** The Springboard : How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations
by Stephen Denning (October 2000) Butterworth-Heinemann 
*** The Art of Possibility, a video with Ben and Ros Zander : Groh Publications (February 2001)

 Copyright © 2000 to be put for each author  ... 
The views expressed on this website are those of Stephen Denning, and not necessarily those of any person or organization
Site optimized in 800x600: webmaster CR WEB CONSULTING
Best experienced with