Assess the Current State First: Set Your Program Up for Success
Lindsey Leigh Hobson
July 23, 2025
Before you design content or set goals, take the time to assess your cohort’s current knowledge, skills, and behaviours. This ensures your program addresses real needs, targets the right gaps, and delivers meaningful growth that’s visible to both learners and stakeholders.
Why Assessing the Current State Matters
Assessing where your participants are starting from helps you:
Pinpoint real strengths, gaps, and development priorities.
Design a program that’s relevant and tailored to actual needs.
Engage learners by showing you understand their challenges and ambitions.
Set measurable goals and track visible progress.
Demonstrate value to both participants and stakeholders through data-driven insights.
A thoughtful assessment up front sets the foundation for a targeted, impactful leadership program.
How to Assess the Current State
Success comes from gathering a well-rounded view of your cohort:
Gather Insights: Use self-assessment surveys, manager feedback, or a quick skills audit to get a snapshot of current strengths and development areas.
Run Informal Interviews or Focus Groups: Hear directly from participants about their challenges, ambitions, and what support they need.
Review Performance Data: Look at recent project outcomes or existing performance metrics for extra context.
Combine Multiple Sources: The more perspectives you gather, the clearer your starting point will be.
Use Findings to Shape Your Program: Tailor your content and objectives to address the specific needs you’ve identified.
Implementation Tips:
Keep assessments short and focused to encourage honest participation.
Include both quantitative (ratings, checklists) and qualitative (open feedback, interviews) methods.
Involve managers and team leads for a broader perspective.
Use anonymous inputs where possible to get candid responses.
Revisit your assessment data before, during, and after the program to track progress.
Putting Theory into Practice
Let’s look at a practical example:
A state government agency launching a new leadership program began by asking participants to complete a short online self-assessment. They also invited managers to share their views on team strengths and gaps.
The L&D team then reviewed recent project feedback and held a focus group with a few emerging leaders. These insights revealed unexpected confidence gaps in cross-functional communication and a strong interest in strategic project work.
Armed with this data, the team shaped the program’s first modules to address these needs directly - resulting in higher engagement, faster skill development, and positive feedback from both participants and their managers.
Key Takeaways
Assess your cohort’s current state before designing your program.
Use a mix of surveys, feedback, interviews, and performance data for a full picture.
Tailor your program to address real needs and visible gaps.
Set measurable goals and track progress from the outset.
Use assessment insights to demonstrate impact and value.
What's Next?
Ready to set your next leadership program up for success? Organise a time to discuss how we can help you assess the current state, identify real needs, and design a program that delivers measurable results.
Author Bio
Lindsey Leigh Hobson is a leadership development trainer, speaker and consultant specialising in tailored in-house initiatives. With extensive experience in program design and implementation, she helps organisations create impactful leadership development initiatives that drive real results.