Bringing clarity to leadership promotions

Microsoft used simulation to add data, structure, and trust to their promotion process.

This video is a clip from our 8/5/20205 Training Magazine Webinar: Why Leadership Pipelines Break—and How Top Companies Fix Them

Even when you’ve identified top talent, deciding who’s truly ready to lead isn’t always clear-cut.

Microsoft wanted to bring more structure to that decision. For a select group of engineers moving into leadership roles, they used simulation to assess real-world people management scenarios — communication, prioritization, and decision-making under pressure.

Behind the scenes, they tracked performance using percentile benchmarks and developmental indicators, combining self-assessment with actual behavior.

The result: greater alignment, clearer decisions, and a shared understanding of readiness across the team.

When promotion decisions are backed by data, everyone feels more confident.

Curious what this could look like in your org?

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