The key is selecting an approach that provides job-relevant and useful information for identifying development needs and measuring progress.
In the May 2026 edition of the Talent Tips column, I introduced the concept of data-driven development, which starts with gathering data. In this column, I explore assessment approaches for gathering the data necessary for supporting data-driven development.
Performance management or feedback
If your company has performance management based on specific performance dimensions or competencies, this might be a readily available source of information to support data-driven development. If the feedback comes from multiple sources (e.g., manager, peers, subordinates), it is particularly useful for supporting development. For most organizations, this is a natural starting point. If your performance management system is frequently changing or does not provide specific performance data, the information will be less useful for supporting data-driven development.
Leadership assessments
The market is full of self-reported assessments that can provide data on leadership strengths, derailers, or tendencies. These tools can be relatively cost efficient and easy to administer. It is critical to choose a tool with evidence supporting its quality and relationship to on-the-job leadership behaviors. Assessment tools that simply provide a descriptive label for the type of leader an individual is, without providing a connection to specific leadership behaviors that can change, are less useful for supporting data-driven development.
Leadership interviews
Interviews focused on how the individual can or would handle critical leadership situations can provide insights to support development. For example, competency- based interviews ask for examples of how the individual handled common leadership experiences (e.g., “Can you describe an experience in which your leadership style was ineffective? How did you adjust your style?”), while situational interviews ask how the individual would handle possible leadership scenarios that could emerge (e.g., “If you learned that your top-performing employee was considering quitting, what steps would you take to retain the employee?”).
Leadership interviews offer insights into decision making, thought processes, and strategic thinking, which are critical for development. However, if they are too general or overly specific, the information is less useful for supporting data-driven development.
Behavioral assessments
Behavioral assessments (i.e., simulations) include case studies, briefing exercises, and role-plays of critical leader interactions (e.g., a subordinate feedback meeting). A strength of simulations is that they provide insights into what an individual can or will do in common job-relevant situations, which is incredibly valuable for development. Additionally, these approaches are both assessment and development as the individual can learn from the experience. The challenge is that development simulations can be time-consuming and costly.
Assessment centers
The most expansive assessment is a “day-in-the-life” experience in which the individual steps into a leadership role for a day and needs to handle both daily and strategic leadership activities. Assessment centers introduce constraints, such as time pressure or unexpected events, to elicit authentic responses in these situations.
There are often interconnections between different behavioral assessments to help individuals identify trends or patterns or understand the implications of their decisions. They provide rich data to support development. The challenge is the cost and time required to develop and administer assessment centers.
Job-Relevant Information
Regardless of the approach chosen, it is important that it yields data that supports the development your organization is prepared to offer. If development is limited to off-the-shelf training, then less expensive approaches such as performance management data or leadership assessments can be good choices. If your organization offers robust development programs, behavioral assessments can provide invaluable data to support them.
There is no single best approach; each has its benefits and costs. What is critical is selecting an approach that provides job-relevant and useful information for identifying development needs and measuring progress.
This article originally appeared in Training Magazine. 
Charles Scherbaum, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized expert in analytics, talent management, assessment, performance management, and employee and customer research. Charles has worked with and overseen many research and analytics initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and is the winner of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s M. Scott Myers Award and the Innovations in Assessment Award from the International Personnel Assessment Council.
