Knowledge Isn’t Enough: Building Trust to Close the Knowing-Doing Gap | A Solo Episode

Host Richard Roman explores a powerful idea from leadership consultant Marcy Levy Schankman: the “knowing-doing gap” isn’t really a knowledge problem; instead, it’s a trust problem. Drawing on research in psychological safety, organizational development, and emotionally intelligent leadership, Richard breaks down why leaders often know what to do but still fail to act, and why fear, hierarchy, and low-trust cultures keep change from sticking. Through real-world examples and current research, this episode examines how psychological safety supports experimentation, why authority is not the same as leadership, and how organizational systems can quietly punish the very behaviors they claim to value. Richard also offers four practical principles for practitioners who want to close the gap between insight and action: Diagnose the culture; Reframe failure as data; Align systems with values; Earn relational trust before expecting behavioral change. If you lead teams, advise organizations, or care about building healthier workplace cultures, this conversation will challenge how you think about trust, leadership, and sustainable change. Listen in for a sharp, thoughtful look at why so many leadership programs fall short, and what it really takes to help people act on what they already know. Keywords: knowing-doing gap, trust problem, psychological safety, leadership development, organizational culture, emotional intelligence, change management, workplace trust, leadership training, team leadership, employee engagement.