Latest updated: 02 November 2023

For learning to be meaningful, one must also apply what they have learned in their daily work. This is obvious, but it is not equally clear how to do it in practice. What actions can be taken to ensure that the new knowledge is truly put to use? And how can one ensure that the new knowledge is applied in the long term and continuously? Let's take a closer look at five important actions to go from learning to action.

Transforming knowledge into practice can be challenging for several reasons. Firstly, one may feel uncertain about what they can do and achieve, and how to apply the new knowledge correctly. Secondly, people have their habits and routines that can be difficult to change, especially when it comes to everyday work, which is often stressful and urgent. It may also feel strange to suddenly change one's behavior and actions in front of colleagues one may have worked with for years. At the same time, it is, of course, necessary to put learning into practice; otherwise, there is no point in learning new things at all. So, how can it be done? Here are five practical tips!

1. Identify a Clear "Why."

Those who want to absorb and apply new knowledge must be clear about why this is necessary and what they want to achieve with it. For example, if you are an HR manager and want to help employees apply new knowledge, make sure they understand the purpose and how it will help them in their daily work. Explain why you, as the employer, consider these new knowledge to be important and what you hope to achieve by applying them. In short, those who are going to apply new knowledge must first and foremost identify a clear "Why." When you know what you want to achieve, it is much easier to change your behavior and actions. You need to have an understanding of the need you are fulfilling or the problem you are solving with this new behavior. Once you know this, it's easier to feel motivated and engaged in the change. In other words, you become more inclined to "embrace" the new knowledge and let it guide you in your daily work.

2. Develop a Concrete Action Plan.

Since it is very difficult to change established habits and routines, it is essential that employees have a clear and very concrete plan for how to apply the new knowledge in practice. Such an action plan should include both short-term and long-term goals, along with a description of how these goals will be achieved step by step through concrete actions and behaviors. The overall goal of the action plan should be to create new habits and routines. It is only when you change your habits that practical change occurs because everyday work is governed by habits. Moreover, habits are the best way to ensure that the change persists in the long run, even when enthusiasm for the new knowledge may have waned or been forgotten. Therefore, ensure that both short-term and long-term goals are tailored to the need to turn them into habits.

3. Act - and Make Mistakes.

For employees to truly apply the new knowledge in practice, there must be room to try new things that are relevant in the context. Employees must have the opportunity to step out of their comfort and competence zones. This also means that there must be room for making mistakes, as mistakes are the only way to learn new things, at least when it comes to practical action. Mistakes work just like feedback; they provide valuable experiences that turn into a kind of memory markers in the brain. It is through concrete experience that you learn what works and what doesn't. Therefore, employees should be encouraged to experiment with the knowledge they have acquired and should have the support of the organization and colleagues in doing so. Only by taking action can one go from learning to practice.

4. Measure and Monitor Behavioural Change.

To ensure progress and truly apply the new knowledge in practice and change habits, one must measure their ability to achieve all goals and sub-goals. Monitoring - that is, monitoring and being attentive to - behavioral change is also necessary. The measurement itself does not need to be complicated, and it can be done in many different ways depending on what and how one wants to apply the new knowledge in practice. You can count and record how many times a day or week you act in a certain way. In the long term, you will also be able to measure the reactions of other employees to see if the change has made a difference in practice. Monitoring behavioral change is more about keeping track of oneself and one's behavior to ensure that it aligns with the goals set. For example, you can write a brief diary at the end of each working day, where you describe and reflect on what you have done during the day and how it aligns with the goals you have set. Self-reflection and self-evaluation are always essential in any change process.

5. Seek External Help.

An employee who is to apply new knowledge in practice will always need support and assistance from someone who regularly checks progress and whether any real progress is being made. This external help may consist of having a feedback partner to bounce ideas off, which could be a higher-level manager or a colleague, perhaps someone going through the same change. Colleagues can "keep an eye" on each other, motivate and support each other, and hold each other accountable in a way that can be fun and relaxed but still helpful and motivating. However, it may also be necessary to seek more professional external help, especially if significant behavioral changes are to become a reality. In such cases, the employee may need the assistance of a coach. Coaches are experts in behavioral change and know how to create a concrete action plan that leads to real change in practice, not just in theory. The coach also becomes a valuable sounding board and can provide the employee with useful tools for self-reflection and evaluation. Furthermore, the coach can help identify and remind the employee of the "Why," as mentioned in point 1. In short, a good coach can become an indispensable support throughout the entire change process when new knowledge is to be translated into practical behaviors and new, more effective habits.