A leading insurance company needed to prepare technical professionals for leadership roles that required strategic execution and communication skills. Insight Experience developed a custom business simulation that enabled participants to tackle realistic market challenges and deliver executive-level presentations. The experience resulted in significant leadership skill gains across critical domains.
In the insurance industry, technical professionals such as actuaries and analysts are often promoted into director-level roles based on their subject matter expertise. However, many enter these roles without sufficient experience in navigating ambiguity, leading teams, or shaping strategy. While analytically strong, they may struggle with translating insights for non-technical audiences, making judgment calls with incomplete information, and influencing cross-functional partners. A leading insurance provider recognized that to prepare its future leaders, it needed to go beyond technical development and invest in experiential learning that builds the critical thinking, communication, and leadership agility required at this level.
To address this leadership gap, Insight Experience partnered with the organization in designing Leading Strategically in Insurance, a custom, issue-based simulation tailored for 80 future leaders from its actuarial and finance departments. The simulation placed participants in the role of corporate development directors at a fictional insurance company, offering a realistic and engaging context for learning. Working in cross-functional teams, participants evaluated a business case for introducing a cyber insurance product aimed at large corporate clients.
Over the course of a fast-paced, one-day program, teams analyzed complex data, tested strategic assumptions, and crafted thoughtful recommendations. The experience culminated in formal presentations to a panel of senior executives. Throughout the process, learning mentors offered guidance, helped translate theory into practice, and supported the development of strategic thinking and communication. Facilitators led structured debriefs at each stage, reinforcing key lessons and providing a framework for ongoing leadership growth.
As a result of the Leading Strategically in Insurance program, participants developed and learned skills to:
Apply critical thinking to ambiguous and complex business challenges.
Communicate strategically to influence internal stakeholders.
Lead cross-functional teams with diverse work styles.
Balance immediate operational needs with long-term strategic initiatives.
Strengthen judgment and adaptability by using the critical thinking framework of scanning, framing, and testing assumptions.
The simulation experience was designed as a one-day, high-impact development lab for future leaders in the insurance industry. The program brought together 80 participants from actuarial and finance functions, organized into 13 cross-functional teams. Each team was supported by a senior mentor who guided group dynamics and helped facilitate learning throughout the day.
The learning environment was grounded in Insight Experience’s belief in learning by doing. Key design features included the integration of structured reflection and feedback loops, frequent touchpoints for facilitated debriefs, and a peer assessment component focused on communication effectiveness. Real-time team metrics and post-round reports allowed participants to see the impact of their decisions and adapt their leadership behaviors accordingly.
By building in increasing complexity throughout the simulation, the program ensured that participants encountered a range of decision-making challenges, spanning data interpretation, stakeholder alignment, and people management. In later rounds, participants navigated interpersonal leadership scenarios that mirrored real-world tension points, such as managing high-performing but challenging team members or addressing communication gaps across functions. This thoughtful layering of activities provided a cohesive arc of learning that tied directly to their readiness for director-level roles.
Senior mentors played a dual role as both coaches and evaluators, offering real-time insights and modeling how experienced leaders navigate ambiguity. Peer evaluations further encouraged participants to reflect on tone, clarity, and influence in their communications—crucial capabilities for leadership. At the end of each simulation round, teams received detailed reports and facilitator-led debriefs to synthesize lessons and connect them to day-to-day leadership responsibilities.
The Leading Strategically in Insurance program began with a focused session on critical thinking and strategic communication, helping participants frame their approach to the day’s challenges. Participants explored a three-part critical thinking model—Scan, Frame, Test—which they applied to the case throughout the day. This gave structure to how they interpreted ambiguous data and constructed their business cases. After the simulation was introduced, laying out the context and expectations for the exercise, teams then launched into Round 1 of simulation decision-making, where they scanned for insights, framed the opportunity for their team, and tested their initial assumptions. A strategic communication recap followed, which included a peer evaluation activity to reinforce feedback and reflection. Before lunch, participants engaged in a session designed to integrate leadership insights with reflections on the morning experience.
The afternoon resumed with a review of Round 1 decisions and an introduction to a decision-making framework to guide the next phase of the simulation. Participants then prepared for a critical leadership conversation with a fictional executive character, played by a senior leader. Teams then rotated through two activities: one group held their executive conversations and received feedback from senior leaders, while the other group focused on completing their Round 2 decisions. These groups then switched roles, allowing all teams to participate in both experiences.
Senior leaders continued observing team interactions and providing input throughout the afternoon, and participants had additional time to reflect on the simulation in small groups. A final round of feedback and observation wrapped up the core experience. Facilitators led a full-group debrief, discussing key lessons, sharing insights, and making the bridge to real-world leadership application clear. Participants left with practical tools and strengthened leadership confidence.
Set within the fictional Phalanx Group Insurance Company, the simulation immersed participants in a strategically dynamic context. Participants stepped into the role of newly promoted directors in the Corporate Development function, leading a new cross-functional team tasked with assessing a high-stakes business opportunity.
The scenario centered on the potential launch of a cyber insurance product targeted at large corporate clients. Participants received a proposal from the company’s marketing team and were asked to evaluate it through the lenses of strategic fit, operational feasibility, and stakeholder alignment. Working under time pressure and ambiguity, they applied critical thinking frameworks to test assumptions, scan for insights, and build their recommendations.
The simulation unfolded over three rounds of increasingly complex decision-making. Teams responded to internal business issues, managed interpersonal team dynamics, and ultimately presented their case to executive leaders in a simulated business review. Their performance was tracked through a suite of metrics, including leadership effectiveness, communication impact, and business outcome quality.
This immersive experience provided participants with a platform to practice strategic leadership, apply real-time feedback, and engage in peer learning—all within a controlled, risk-free environment that mirrored the challenges of executive roles in the insurance industry.
The simulation was delivered to a cohort of 80 future leaders from across the organization’s actuarial and finance functions.
Participants were identified as high-potential individuals.
They were divided into 13 cross-functional teams to ensure diverse perspectives and foster collaborative problem-solving.
Each team was supported by a senior mentor, offering real-time coaching and organizational context.
Throughout the simulation, participants faced realistic leadership challenges mirroring the complexities of their future roles. They navigated a market expansion opportunity with shifting assumptions, data ambiguity, and strategic communication hurdles. This hands-on experience allowed them to practice leadership skills that are difficult to teach in traditional classroom settings.
The impact of the Leading Strategically in Insurance program was demonstrated in both feedback and data:
Participants and mentors emphasized the value of a safe, simulated environment.
Facilitator-led discussions created space for structured reflection and deeper learning.
Quantitative results showed significant improvement:
+30% in critical thinking capabilities
+32% in leading people
+21% in strategic partnering
+18% in operational excellence
+33% in team performance
These results reinforced the power of simulation-based learning in delivering measurable leadership development while keeping participants actively engaged.
By the end of the experience, participants had:
A deeper understanding of what it takes to lead in a complex, dynamic business environment.
Strengthened individual competencies.
Built lasting connections with peers and mentors to support their ongoing leadership journey.