November
14,
2025
From Training to Performance.
Every year, government agencies invest heavily in training. They develop courses, fill their LMS platforms, and send employees through hours of instruction. Yet many leaders still ask: Why aren’t we seeing better performance results?
They’re seeing the gap between learning and doing.
In high-stakes, high-accountability environments like government, this gap isn’t just frustrating, it is lost opportunity to truly develop people potential and deliver on the promise of exceptional government services.
Agencies don’t just need people to know policies, systems, and processes; they need them to apply that knowledge accurately and consistently.
So, what’s getting in the way and how can we fix it?
The Challenges
Training in a Vacuum
Too often, government training is disconnected from daily work. Employees learn about systems or policies in theory, not in the context of real scenarios. That abstraction makes learning easy to forget and hard to apply.
Over-reliance on Information Transfer
We often assume that knowing leads to doing. But behavior science says otherwise. Knowing the steps to a process doesn’t guarantee following them correctly under pressure. Training that emphasizes knowledge over performance misses the point.
Lack of Reinforcement
Learning fades without follow-up. When there’s no coaching or accountability, people quickly revert to old habits, especially when those habits feel faster or safer.
Cultural and Systemic Barriers
Sometimes the problem isn’t training—it’s the environment. Employees may be trained to collaborate, but if performance systems reward individual output, they won’t change. When systems, leadership behaviors, and training are misaligned, progress stalls.
Bridging the Gap
Training and performance support must be designed with work performance in mind, from the start. Here are five ideas and two technologies to make that shift:
Meet people where they are.
The Five Moments of Need model by Bob Mosher and Dr. Conrad Gottfredson reframes learning as a continuous process. It identifies five key moments when people most need support: when learning something new, wanting to learn more, applying knowledge, solving problems, or adapting to change. The key is to align learning strategies to the moments of need. Formal training is important when learning something new, while on-demand performance support helps with application and change.
Example: A federal HR specialist uses formal training to learn a new hiring system (New), quick reference guides while processing applications (Apply), and updated resources when policy guidance changes (Change).
Build for behavior, not just knowledge.
Start with the end in mind: What do we want people to do differently? Define the critical behaviors, then design training that helps people practice and get feedback.
Example: Instead of lecturing on conflict-of-interest policy, simulate real scenarios where employees must make judgment calls and receive feedback in real time.
Align training with systems and culture.
If training teaches one thing but systems reward another, behavior change won’t stick. Before designing new learning, ask: What are we rewarding?
Example: Review performance metrics, SOPs, and feedback loops to ensure they reinforce the new behaviors, not the old ones.
Ground training in the real world.
Learning should feel familiar and actionable. Use real cases, language, and systems employees recognize.
Example: Partner with front-line managers to identify everyday challenges and build your training activities around them.
Reinforce with coaching and feedback.
Learning is a process, not an event. Incorporate follow-up discussions, manager coaching, and check-ins that show the behavior still matters.
Example: Create a “learning transfer plan” for supervisors to reinforce key behaviors during team meetings.
Make learning and performance support personal.
A Learning Experience Platform (LXP) delivers personalized, just-in-time learning tailored to each employee’s role, goals, and recent activity. It moves learning from compliance-driven to performance-focused. These systems are more affordable and capable than ever and provide a flexible, mobile resource tailored to the individual.
Example: A Contract Officers Representative (COR), updating a contract record might receive a recommendation for a short video on managing vendor performance — right when it’s most relevant.
Remove friction wherever you can.
A Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) provides step-by-step, on-screen guidance inside the applications employees use every day. This helps them perform tasks accurately without leaving their workflow.
Example: When a federal employee logs into a new acquisition system, a DAP can guide them through creating a requisition, explaining each field along the way. The result: faster adoption, fewer errors, and greater confidence.
The Opportunity Ahead
Government agencies face complex challenges, policy shifts, tight budgets, legacy systems, and evolving missions. But they also have a tremendous opportunity to lead with intention.
When agencies shift their focus from training delivery to performance enablement, they close the learning–doing gap. They create not just informed employees, but capable, confident professionals ready to deliver excellence where it matters most: on the job.
Want to explore the topic in more detail with John? Hop on his calendar: Book a meeting with John
