Why Can't they just do it???

Laura Kean

Kean Learning & Development Ltd

Training Provider

Over the years I've lost count of the number of times I've heard some variation of:

"We've explained it."

"They've had the training."

"They know what's expected."

"Why aren't they doing it?"

The interesting thing is that this isn't just a workplace phenomenon. Most of us can probably think of something we know we should be doing differently.

Getting more sleep.
Spending less time scrolling.
Exercising more regularly.
Having the conversation we've been avoiding.
Delegating something we've been holding on to.

The gap between knowing and doing is common.

One of the things I've found most interesting whilst studying Applied Neuroscience is seeing how much research exists around learning, behaviour and motivation, and how rarely behaviour changes simply because someone has been given more information. If information alone changed behaviour, most organisational change programmes would be remarkably straightforward. People would attend the briefing, understand the rationale, see the benefits and immediately start behaving differently.

Experience tells us it doesn't usually work quite like that.

Sometimes people don't see the value. Sometimes they're overwhelmed. Sometimes the old behaviour is easier, more familiar or simply more deeply embedded than we realise. And sometimes what looks like resistance is actually uncertainty, competing priorities or concern about getting something wrong.

The more I learn about behaviour, the more I’m convinced the challenge lies somewhere in the space between intention and action. And that space turns out to be actually very interesting.

Laura Kean

Kean Learning & Development Ltd

Training Provider

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