Why L&D leaders must bridge the knowing-doing gap

In Learning and Development, there’s a disconnect that leaders can’t afford to ignore: the knowing-doing gap. It’s the space between what employees know—and what they actually do with that knowledge on the job.

We’ve all experienced it. Someone completes a training, checks the box, but when it comes time to apply that skill, something gets lost. The information’s there, but the behavior hasn’t changed.

Why the knowing-doing gap matters more now

With the pace of change in technology, regulation, and workplace expectations, employees are constantly expected to absorb new information. But knowing a concept isn’t the same as being equipped to apply it in real-world situations—especially without reinforcement, context, or practice.

For L&D leaders working with limited time and resources, that gap only widens. It’s no longer just about delivering learning. It’s about enabling performance.

From knowing to doing: Where L&D strategies fall short

Many L&D programs emphasize content delivery over long-term behavior change. Playbooks get shared, but aren’t practiced. Compliance modules are completed, but not retained. Leadership skills are introduced, but never embedded.

Add in the pressures of ad-hoc training requests, skill gaps across departments, and low engagement with generic content, and it’s easy to see how knowledge stays stuck in theory.

How to start closing the gap

The solution isn’t more content. It’s smarter application. That starts with:

• Measuring what matters: Don’t just track completions—track application. Are teams using the frameworks they’re taught? Are processes improving?
• Designing for behavior, not just recall: Use scenario-based learning, follow-up nudges, and on-the-job practice.
• Meeting learners where they are: Different roles, generations, and teams need different approaches. Personalization and relevance are key.

How Go1 helps L&D leaders move from learning to doing

Go1 equips busy L&D teams with a centralized solution for compliance and skills training—all backed by expert guidance. But more than that, it offers tools to curate, track, and reinforce learning in ways that stick. Think playlists for every learning goal, built-in assessments, and analytics that go beyond “who clicked what.”

Whether you’re building foundational skills, upskilling for the future, or rolling out compliance training, Go1 helps make learning stick, so your people can do their best work.