Next time someone someone tells you he already knows all about what you’re saying, say the following:

That’s great! How much are you doing that?

Chances are there is a gap between what someone says they know and what they’re doing with that knowledge.

The divide between knowing and doing is plaguing companies across the globe. The dangerous assumption that just because someone knows something automatically means she’s doing it keeps her from looking closely at her actual behavior. Managers who don’t look closely at the division between know and do are missing the opportunity to ensure what matters most is always being done. This is especially true of those dreaded and maligned “basics” that too many people spend too much time getting back to every few weeks or months.

Imagine what would happen if people stayed with those basics. And why shouldn’t they? If they are so basic, there’s no excuse nor any barriers to doing them, since they are so basic. The real issue, more often than not, is the Knowing Doing Divide. Bridge that gap and you’ll not only close a mental loophole, you’ll close more deals and retain more customers.