A two-day selection event for engineers moving into management.

The brief

A group of senior engineers were being considered for a move into management, and the organisation wanted more than CVs and interview impressions to base that decision on. We were asked to design and run a two-day selection event that would give a genuine, evidenced view of how each individual was likely to perform as a leader.

Challenging and developing their thinking

The event was built to do more than observe — it was designed to challenge. Participants were pushed beyond familiar technical territory into the kind of ambiguous, people-focused problems management actually involves, with structured input along the way to help develop their thinking in real time.

Observing performance across a series of tasks

Across a carefully designed series of tasks and exercises, we observed how each engineer approached problems, handled pressure, worked with others, and made decisions — building a rounded picture of leadership potential that no single interview could provide.

Feedback that meant something

Every participant received meaningful, individual feedback — specific, honest, and grounded in what we'd actually observed over the two days. For many, it was the clearest picture they'd ever had of their own strengths and development areas as a future leader.

The outcome

The organisation gained genuine insight into the leadership potential within its engineering talent — including strengths that may otherwise have gone unnoticed and development needs that hadn't yet surfaced. Selection decisions were made with real evidence behind them, and participants left with feedback that helped shape their own development, regardless of the outcome.

Delivered by a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Chartered Manager, and experienced leader.