Assessment Program Case Studies

Discover how leading organizations are leveraging Lead Create’s assessment services
to identify talent, develop leaders, and drive business performance.

Case Study 1

Promoting the Right People Into Management

Industry:Information/Communications

Employees:1,200

Background

For more than ten years, the client relied on HR evaluations, supervisor recommendations, and an external assessment program to make promotion decisions.
As the business environment and leadership requirements shifted, the process fell out of step with the company’s needs. To strengthen governance following its public listing, the organization overhauled its promotion process and introduced our assessment program to better align leadership selection with today’s realities.

Approach

Supervisors shortlisted candidates from a qualified pool, who then took part in a two-day assessment program to evaluate management readiness.
Each participant received a report outlining strengths and development priorities, while HR received reports to support promotion decisions. Senior HR leaders also joined review sessions to review and discuss the findings for each candidate.

Impact

The new process gave the company greater confidence in identifying leaders ready for today’s environment.
Newly promoted managers are performing at a higher level, and participants gained clear insight into the skills they need to succeed in leadership roles. The program also encouraged employees to reflect on and expand their career outlook through the company’s dual-track career system. For the first time, benchmarking against external data provided a market-based view of leadership potential, helping the client refine succession planning and development initiatives.

Participants

40 management-track candidates

Case Study 2

Assessments for Senior Management Roles

Industry:Think Tank
Market Research

Employees:300

Background

As a subsidiary of a major service group, the client had long enjoyed stable operations. However, significant changes in its business environment created the need for greater independence and stronger leadership. The workforce structure also posed a challenge, as nearly 40% of employees already held management roles. To address these issues, the organization reviewed its HR practices and introduced our assessment program as part of its promotion process.

Approach

The program was applied at two levels: employees being promoted into management roles and mid-level managers preparing for greater responsibility.
Candidates for management roles took part in a standard two-day program focused on evaluation, while mid-level managers experienced a broader version that also emphasized reflection and learning. Supervisors joined feedback sessions to review individual results, ensuring shared understanding and alignment on development needs and workplace support.  Assessment results were also discussed in dedicated meetings where HR leaders and assessors confirmed findings and agreed on next steps. When gaps appeared between assessment results and workplace evaluations, HR prepared explanations to strengthen accountability and provide consistent communication across the organization.

Impact

Promotion decisions had previously relied on internal judgment, which sometimes raised concerns about fairness. By introducing assessments, the company added objectivity and transparency, building greater trust in the process and clarifying the standards for leadership roles.
For participants, the program highlighted the skills required to succeed and provided the chance to reflect on career direction. Employees could now consider not only advancement into management but also alternative career paths, such as pursuing professional expertise in specialized fields. This flexibility gave the organization a stronger foundation for supporting diverse career development.

Participants

15 mid-level employees and 10 management-track candidates

Case Study 3

Preparing Future Leaders in Middle Management

Industry:Electrical Equipment

Employees:2,000

Background

As the client expanded its business, both the growth in business units and the retirement of section managers created the risk of a shortage of qualified managers within a few years.
This made it urgent to identify and prepare candidates who could step into section manager roles quickly. At the same time, global competencies were introduced across international operations, highlighting the need to revisit how section managers were developed. Rather than waiting until after promotion, our assessment program was introduced to prepare candidates in advance and build a pipeline of qualified managers.

Approach

Candidates nominated by department heads first joined a two-hour workshop to understand the role expectations, required competencies, and leadership profile needed for section managers.
This initial step helped candidates establish the right mindset for management. 
Several months later, they participated in a two-day assessment program. The program clarified each participant’s strengths and identified specific development priorities for future manager readiness. E-learning content tied to the required competencies was also provided, enabling participants to pursue self-directed learning aligned with their growth needs.

Impact

After five years, the initiative is steadily improving the quality of newly promoted section managers and is functioning as a structured pipeline for leadership succession.
By clarifying individual growth priorities, the program not only enabled more effective development but also provided greater visibility into leadership potential, supporting stronger deployment decisions. Redefining the approach to development has also helped raise the overall capability of the section manager group. A remaining challenge is sustaining development after promotion. To address this, the Harmony 360-Degree Feedback Program will be introduced in the second year after promotion to reinforce continuous growth.

Participants

80 management-track candidates

Case Study 4

Reflection for Future Executive Leaders

Industry:Machinery

Employees:5,000

Background

In recent years, the client selected promising section managers for an executive candidate training program aimed at developing future leaders. However, there was concern that participants showed limited behavioral change and follow-through on development after the program.
The client recognized the need to create a structured opportunity for participants to reflect on what they must do to prepare for the next stage of leadership. At the same time, the client wanted to ensure that insights from the program translated into ongoing growth by involving participants’ supervisors. To that end, an assessment program was introduced as part of the executive candidate training.

Approach

The initiative began with guidance sessions for supervisors on using assessments to support leadership development.
Supervisors learned how to frame the experience for participants and how to support leadership growth after the program. Participants then took part in the assessment program.
They reviewed their current leadership capabilities and identified key priorities for preparing for future executive roles. Afterward, follow-up sessions were held with supervisors. Supervisors reviewed assessment findings for each participant and discussed appropriate development support going forward.
Following the assessment, participants continued with the broader executive candidate program, which covered core skills such as strategy, problem solving, and corporate finance. They analyzed business conditions and industry dynamics from an executive perspective, developed strategic plans, and presented proposals to current executives.

Impact

The program gave participants a valuable opportunity to reflect on their growth priorities and next steps as future executives. Just as importantly, it helped supervisors shift their own mindset toward developing successors and future leaders.
Supervisors began moving beyond task-level guidance to consider how cultivate potential successors and executive leaders, thinking more concretely about the opportunities and support to provide. Although the project was organized by the talent development department, the assessment review sessions brought together HR leaders responsible for system design and overall policy. These forums became valuable opportunities for cross-functional discussion on future talent development and talent management.

Participants

10 management-track candidates

Case Study 5

Assessments to Build a Pipeline of Future Managers

Industry:Financial Services

Employees:4,000

Background

Until a few years ago, the client had used Lead Create’s assessment program as part of promotion decisions but discontinued it for various reasons.
Afterward, promotions were based only on HR evaluations and supervisor recommendations. This raised concerns: employees questioned why they were passed over despite strong reviews, and supervisors felt unsure about whom to recommend. Others noted the loss of motivation and preparation that promotion assessments once provided. In response, the client reintroduced our assessment program as part of the promotion process.

Approach

The reintroduced program adopted evaluation criteria based on the Co-Creative Leader competency model.
The first step was to align workplace performance criteria with promotion assessment criteria. Next, department heads and section managers attended guidance sessions on using assessments to support leadership development. These sessions deepened understanding of the program and emphasized workplace-based development, laying the foundation for effective implementation. The promotion process consisted of a one-day assessment program. Although the single day limited time for lectures, explanations, and reflection, individual feedback sessions held the following day enhanced participants’ self-understanding and reinforced acceptance of the results. In addition, because some employees had advanced to section manager or manager-track roles without undergoing prior assessments, the program was extended to them as well.

Impact

In its first year, the program delivered clear results: promotion candidates showed greater acceptance of outcomes, motivation to study and prepare increased, and supervisors gained deeper reflection on their evaluation practices.
The alignment of workplace and promotion criteria also accelerated understanding of the leadership profile and competencies expected at higher levels. At the same time, gaps between strong HR evaluations and weaker promotion assessment results highlighted a lack of effective preparation for the next level of leadership.
Supervisors’ development efforts were often focused narrowly on task guidance and short-term performance. The assessments revealed the need to emphasize preparing the next generation of leaders. As a result, guidance was provided across the management layer, promoting a longer-term view of talent development, and assigning responsibilities progressively and reinforcing experiential learning cycles.

Participants

60 section managers

Case Study 6

Ensuring Equity in Large-Scale Assessments

Industry:Transportation Equipment

Employees:10,000+

Background

The client faced the challenge of managing a large number of promotion candidates nominated by different departments, making it difficult for HR to gain an accurate understanding of each candidate.
Nomination criteria varied widely across departments, resulting in significant differences in candidates’ backgrounds, experiences, and capabilities. To ensure that key management positions were filled by candidates with the required competencies, and to make promotion decisions that were fair and consistent, our assessment program was introduced as part of the promotion process.

Approach

Approximately 600 management-track candidates nominated by departments participated in a two-day assessment program.
The program was delivered over about 30 sessions spanning two and a half months. The assessments measured readiness against required competencies, deepened understanding of managerial roles, and provided participants with an opportunity to review their own capabilities and set development priorities. Given the scale of 600 participants, information leaks were a concern. To safeguard fairness, multiple assessment simulations were prepared and varied across sessions.
During the pandemic, the program was conducted online. This allowed participants from Japan, other parts of Asia, North and South America, Europe, and Africa to all experience the same standardized program.

Impact

By evaluating candidates against common criteria in a consistent environment, the program enabled promotion decisions that were demonstrably fair.
As a result, only candidates who met the required standards were promoted, raising the overall capability of new managers. Because promotion required clearing the assessment, awareness of the importance of capability development increased significantly. This spurred not only individual self-development but also department-wide initiatives to strengthen leadership readiness.
However, the vast amount of talent data generated through the process has yet to be fully leveraged for broader talent management, and more effective data utilization has been identified as a key challenge going forward.

Participants

600 management-track candidates

Case Study 7

Realigning Roles Under a New HR Framework

Industry:Insurance

Employees:1,500

Background

Over years of operating under a job-based qualification system, the client encountered mismatches between titles and actual roles. In some cases, managers even used promotions as incentives for subordinates, exposing weaknesses in how the system was applied.
To address these issues, the client fundamentally redesigned its HR system, introducing a role-based grading structure. As part of this reform, the section manager level, previously spread across two levels, was consolidated into one. To determine whether employees were suited for the new position and to ensure proper placement, an assessment program was introduced to provide objective data.

Approach

200 employees underwent assessments through a one-day evaluation-focused program.
A three-year transition period was established: employees who passed within that window were reclassified into the new level, while those who did not were reassigned to a lower level. The process combined our assessment results with internal interviews, and outcomes were determined based on an integrated evaluation of both. In addition, evaluation items from the new system were mapped to our core competency criteria, enabling benchmarking against external data.

Impact

By basing decisions on objective external data, the client was able to complete this highly sensitive reclassification process, which included potential demotions, without major backlash.
The initiative ensured both the quality and quantity of employees suited for the new section manager role. While the transitional measures limited immediate impact, the process helped build momentum toward greater investment in human capital, sharpening decisions about where and how to allocate resources. By linking promotions to assessments, the client clarified the development path leading to management roles. With baseline competencies assured, training could focus more efficiently on building knowledge and behaviors.

Participants

1,200 section managers

Case Study 8

Building a Group-Wide Evaluation Framework

Industry:Chemicals

Employees:4,000

Background

The client’s holding company offered training and defined group-wide competencies, but each subsidiary maintained its own training programs, managerial requirements, and HR policies. As a result, the group’s talent strategy failed to take root across the organization.
Because each company defined and evaluated talent independently, the group lacked visibility into where talent resided and how management standards varied. This made it difficult to manage talent strategically at the group level. To address this, the client introduced an assessment program based on a unified set of evaluation criteria across the group.

Approach

As part of HR system reforms and the rollout of unified group competencies, assessment programs were implemented across all subsidiaries, and promotion decisions were made using common evaluation standards. With shared evaluation items and levels, it became possible to compare management-track candidates across companies.
Assessment results were used to understand management levels and trends within each company, inform group-wide succession planning, and design development initiatives. In some subsidiaries, the program was also applied to promotions at the assistant manager and department head levels, supplemented by follow-up interviews, workshops, and supervisor guidance.
While the assessment program itself was standardized, related initiatives such as follow-up sessions and supervisor training were tailored to the circumstances of each company.

Impact

The establishment of common talent standards made it easier to drive integrated talent management and group-wide strategy.
Previously, HR practices were fragmented, and the value of being a group was not reflected in talent management. Even when the holding company set out group-level business strategies, execution often lagged because the necessary talent data was not available.
The introduction of the assessment program enabled visibility into managerial talent across subsidiaries, gradually resolving this issue. The creation of a common language and standards also fostered more communication and collaboration among HR teams across the group. This foundation is expected to strengthen cross-company mobility, assignments, exchanges, and business collaboration in the future.

Participants

80 section managers across group companies

Case Study 9

Building the Foundation for Self-Driven Young Talent

Industry:Food

Employees:5,000

Background

With the diversification of employee values and changing relationships between companies and their people, the client recognized that individual self-reliance had become a critical theme for talent development, essential to delivering value to society and staying competitive.
Against this backdrop, the first six years of employment were positioned as a crucial period for building foundations for self-reliance and steady growth as a contributor. A structured approach was created to strengthen the foundational skills required for self-reliant talent.

Approach

The program was divided into two stages: Stage 1 (years 1–3) and Stage 2 (years 4–6). Assessments were conducted at the end of the third and sixth years. Both assessments measured the degree to which participants had developed the foundational skills required for self-reliant talent, while identifying their development priorities.
These were complemented by Harmony 360-Degree Feedback: the assessment measured skill possession, while the feedback confirmed whether those skills were being demonstrated in the workplace. Supervisors received guidance and workshops before and after each assessment and feedback review. These sessions reinforced their role as development leaders and encouraged them to integrate assessment and feedback results into on-the-job training.
Participants were also offered elective training programs to strengthen foundational skills. These served as opportunities for self-directed learning to address identified challenges.
A benchmark score was set for the assessments. Participants who exceeded the benchmark in their third year were exempt from the Stage 2 assessment.

Impact

Four years into implementation, the initiative is beginning to show clear results.
Awareness of development has grown among younger employees, and average assessment scores have risen. The proportion of participants exceeding the benchmark score has increased year by year. Notably, those who fell short at the third-year assessment showed remarkable growth by the sixth year, contributing to an overall uplift in the capability of the younger cohort. While the factors are still being studied through interviews, the influence of supervisors is believed to be a major driver.
In recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on engaging supervisors. This has helped foster their mindset as talent developers and led to stronger workplace support for employee growth.

Participants

60 third-year employees and 30 sixth-year employees

Case Study 10

Succession Planning for Senior Managers

Industry:Electrical Equipment

Employees:500

Background

Following a change in parent company, the client shifted from operating under group direction to pursuing a more independent strategy. This prompted concern that the next generation of department heads, the key drivers of the business, was not being developed. At the same time, the existing department head group was aging, creating an urgent need to prepare successors.
As part of designing a succession plan, the client introduced our assessment program to clarify the strengths and development needs of identified candidates, enabling more targeted and efficient development.

Approach

The process began with a two-hour succession planning guidance session for both the selected candidates and their supervisors.
Candidates were briefed on role expectations, leadership requirements, and the importance of self-awareness as a foundation for growth. Supervisors were introduced to key leadership elements and provided with fundamentals for supporting growth, including the principles of leadership development and the importance of experiential learning.
Candidates then completed the assessment program and the Harmony 360-Degree Feedback program to clarify their strengths and development challenges. Afterward, findings were shared with executives and HR in a review session. A separate session was also held with supervisors to review the results for each candidate in detail. Based on these discussions, the process moved to succession planning guidance sessions, where concrete development plans were created for each candidate.

Impact

As the project is still underway, measurable results in terms of producing next-generation department heads are expected in the future.
At present, current department heads are using assessment and feedback results as the basis for drafting succession plans for their candidates. Supervisors are beginning to adopt the mindset of developing the next generation of department heads.

Participants

15 section managers