LeaderShip Bootcamp
Anonymous/NDA
Growth Mindset Assessment
I partnered with LeaderShip Bootcamp to unify a fragmented leadership development program by conducting a needs analysis, aligning stakeholders around clear learning outcomes, and transforming a paper-based mindset assessment into an interactive digital tool that became the foundation for a cohesive, learner-centered experience.
SERVICES
Needs Analysis & Consultation, Learning Strategy, Interactive Tool Development
Category
Strategy & Development
Duration
6 weeks
Year
2021
The Challenge
The leadership development program had been running for about a year with strong individual components—mentor-led sessions, personal storytelling, coaching conversations, and a paper-based mindset assessment completed at the start. However, despite the program’s intent, learner engagement and completion rates were low, prompting the organization to examine how the experience was structured and delivered.
My goal was to bring clarity and cohesion to the program by defining clear learning and performance outcomes, integrating the various touchpoints into a unified learner experience, and transforming the mindset assessment into a digital anchor that the entire journey could build upon.
The program’s elements were created independently, with no shared learning objectives or cohesive learner journey. The initial mindset assessment wasn’t referenced again in mentor presentations, coaching sessions, or discussions, leaving learners with valuable insights but no way to apply or revisit them. This disconnect contributed to inconsistent experiences, unclear expectations, and a high drop-out rate. The opportunity was to unify the program around clear performance outcomes, integrate touchpoints into a coherent experience, and reposition the mindset assessment as the anchor that guides learners throughout their development journey.
My Approach
Zoom meeting with program owners and existing mentors.
I used a learner-centered design approach grounded in content analysis, stakeholder alignment, and detailed journey mapping to understand where the program was breaking down and identify opportunities to create a more cohesive, meaningful experience.
To understand why learners were disengaging, I started by examining the program through their eyes—reviewing content, speaking with stakeholders, and mapping the journey from first touchpoint to final session. The analysis made a major gap clear: the mindset assessment, a potentially meaningful reflection tool, wasn’t connected to anything else in the program. Reframing this assessment as the experience’s anchor became the guiding principle for the redesign.
What We Built
I redesigned a paper-based growth mindset assessment into an interactive tool and developed guidance to help presenters and coaches integrate it meaningfully throughout the leadership program.
Key features
The core of the solution was transforming a static, paper-based mindset assessment into an interactive digital tool that supports learners throughout their leadership journey. The redesigned assessment gives participants personalized insights into where their mindset may help them, where they may face friction, and how those patterns might show up during the program. Beyond the assessment itself, I created practical guidelines for program owners, mentors, and presenters on how to reference and apply assessment themes in their sessions. These recommendations helped shift experience-sharing from broad, high-level storytelling to discussions that feel more relevant and accessible for learners with limited leadership experience. While I did not redesign session materials directly, the guidance provided a clear structure for linking presentation content, coaching conversations, and learner reflection back to the assessment. This ensured the tool not only became a meaningful entry point into the program, but also a recurring touchpoint learners and mentors could return to over time.
Inside the Experience
Outcomes & Impact
“Mike brought clarity to a program that had heart but lacked structure. He helped us see how all the pieces fit together, turning our intentions into a meaningful learner journey with purpose, direction, and room for growth. The program is stronger, more human, and more repeatable because of his work.”
— Program Owner, Leadership Development
The redesigned assessment and integration guidance helped clarify expectations for learners, align facilitators around a shared experience, and significantly reduce participant drop-off. As a result, learners were better able to assess their readiness and engage with the program more intentionally.
By repositioning the assessment as a meaningful insight tool and creating guiderails that unified the learner experience, I helped the program team connect the dots between their vision, the mentors’ expertise, and the needs of emerging leaders. This clarity not only made the experience more relevant and cohesive—it also improved how learners understood their starting point and what the program would require of them. After implementing the redesigned assessment and updated guidance, the program saw a notable reduction in early withdrawals. Instead of disengaging due to confusion or lack of direction, learners were making more informed decisions about their readiness, often saying, “I’m not ready for this right now,” rather than, “I don’t know what’s going on—am I wasting my time?” This shift reflected a healthier, more transparent experience where participants could opt in—or opt out—with a clearer understanding of expectations, leading to stronger alignment between learner intent, program goals, and mentor support.
"What made this project memorable was the people behind it. The mentors and program owners brought so much lived experience and passion—they just needed help distilling it into a clearer, more meaningful journey for learners. In the process, many reconnected with why they became leaders in the first place. It was a full-circle reminder of how powerful an aligned learning experience can be."
— M. Jones
