A conceptual illustration of a wooden bridge connecting two rocky outcrops over water. On the left, a tree with a sign reading 'KNOWING'; on the right, a small teal wooden house with a sign reading 'DOING', under a cloudy sky.

03 Feb Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap: How Fieri Leadership Can Help

Posted at 11:05h in Articles & Blogs by

At Fieri Leadership, we recognise that one of the most significant challenges in leadership training and organisational development is bridging the gap between knowing and doing. While training programs often impart valuable knowledge, translating that knowledge into sustained, meaningful action remains a significant hurdle across various sectors, from sports to education to corporate environments. 

The Problem: Knowledge Alone Is Insufficient 

The world is full of examples where the knowing-doing gap has been hard to bridge. Let’s explore a few notable cases: 

The UK’s Change4Life Campaign (2009) 

Efforts and Investments: 

The UK government launched a national public health initiative aimed at combating obesity by promoting healthier eating and increased physical activity among families. The campaign included extensive advertising, free resources like recipe books and activity planners, partnerships with schools, and community events. Initial funding exceeded £75 million over five years, engaging 1.9 million families and reaching 99% of the UK population. 

Impact: 

Despite high levels of awareness, behavioural change remained minimal. Research published in the Journal of Public Health found that obesity rates continued to rise, with only modest increases in fruit and vegetable consumption. 

WHO and CDC Hand Hygiene Campaigns (Early 2000s) 

Efforts and Investments: 

The WHO’s “SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands” and the CDC’s “Clean Hands Count” campaigns aimed to reduce healthcare-associated infections by improving hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers. These initiatives included educational materials, training workshops, reminders, and the promotion of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. 

Impact: 

Despite increased awareness, compliance rates often remained below 40%, and healthcare-associated infections continued to result in over $28 billion in annual costs in the U.S. Behavioural and organisational barriers, such as time constraints and inconvenient sanitiser placement, hindered progress. 

Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives 

Efforts and Investments: 

Companies have invested heavily in diversity and inclusion through training workshops, mentorship programs, employee resource groups, and targeted recruitment. Annual spending on diversity training by U.S. corporations exceeds $8 billion. 

Impact: 

A 2016 Harvard Business Review study revealed limited outcomes. Representation of women and minorities in leadership remained stagnant, and mandatory training sometimes led to resistance, with representation decreasing by 5-10% in some cases over five years. Structural and cultural barriers outweighed the effects of one-off training sessions. 

How Fieri Leadership Can Help 

At Fieri Leadership, we believe that to truly embed change, we must partner with our clients. It’s not enough to deliver training and walk away; we need to work hand-in-hand with organisations to ensure their environments and systems support the change. 

Partnering for Lasting Change 

Let’s look at a story of two companies we worked with: 

Company A opted for a traditional training approach. We delivered an excellent leadership program, but after six months, they saw minimal improvements in leadership effectiveness. 

Company B, on the other hand, chose to partner with us fully. We didn’t just deliver training; we worked with them to redesign their performance management system, revamp their meeting structures, and even adjust their office layout to encourage more collaboration. The result? A year later, they saw a 30% increase in employee engagement and a 20% boost in productivity. 

This story illustrates what research has long shown: organisational factors play a crucial role in the transfer of training to the workplace. By partnering with our clients, we can address these factors head-on. 

Embracing Experiential Learning 

Experiential learning is a game-changer for bridging the knowing-doing gap. It’s all about learning by doing in a range of different experiences. Here are some principles we follow in our learning designs: 

  1. Make it personal: When people see how information relates to their own lives or work, they’re more likely to act on it. 
  1. Provide ongoing support: Change isn’t a one-and-done deal. Continuous reinforcement, follow-ups, and reflection opportunities are crucial. 
  1. Offer practical tools: Give people specific strategies they can use in their daily lives, like goal setting and action planning. 

Spicing Up Leadership Training 

So, how can we apply this to leadership training? Here are some ideas: 

  • Simulations and role-playing: Create real-world scenarios for leaders to practice in a safe environment. 
  • Action learning projects: Get participants working on actual organisational issues. 
  • Reflective practice: Regular reflection sessions help solidify learning. 
  • Peer coaching and mentoring: Provide ongoing support and accountability. 
  • Feedback and assessment: Use various tools to measure progress and guide development. 

Wrapping It Up 

Bridging the knowing-doing gap isn’t just about pumping people full of information. It’s about creating an environment that supports and encourages putting that knowledge into action. By embracing experiential learning in leadership training and partnering closely with our clients, we at Fieri can help organisations not just know better, but actually do better. 

Remember, as Confucius said, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” So, let’s get doing – together! 

References 

  • Burke, L. A., & Hutchins, H. M. (2007). Training transfer: An integrative literature review. Human Resource Development Review, 6(3), 263-296. 
  • CDC. (2024). Clinical Safety: Hand Hygiene for Healthcare Workers. Retrieved from CDC. 
  • Change4Life Campaign, UK. (2022). The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Social Marketing. Retrieved from SpringerLink. 
  • Dobbin, F., & Kalev, A. (2016). Why diversity programs fail. Harvard Business Review, 94(7), 14-16. 
  • Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House. 
  • Kayes, D. C., & Kayes, A. B. (2021). Experiential learning and education in management. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Business and Management. 
  • Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Pearson Education. 
  • Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705-717. 
  • Pfeffer, J., & Sutton, R. I. (2000). The knowing-doing gap: How smart companies turn knowledge into action. Harvard Business School Press. 
  • Revans, R. W. (2011). ABC of action learning. Gower Publishing. 
  • Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books. 
  • Waller, L., Reitz, M., Poole, E., Riddell, P., & Muir, A. (2017). Experiential learning as preparation for leadership: An exploration of the cognitive and physiological processes. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 38(4), 513-529. 


Written by Jason Lee
Previously a quadruple Olympic hockey coach and a double Olympic hockey athlete. Over 35 years of experience in the intense and pressured world of Olympic team sport. Jason works in business, sport and education supporting the high performance development of people, teams and organisations.