Challenge: Aligning Leadership Capability to Execution Demands
MiddleGround Capital knew its value creation plans wouldn’t succeed without the right leaders in place—especially at the executive and operational levels where execution risk tends to hide. Read more about spotting leadership risk before it stalls execution. Yet traditional methods—interviews, resumes, reference calls— Couldn’t predict who would actually lead under pressure.
Their founding partners had experience with behavioral assessments, but needed a solution built for scale, speed, and depth. They turned to Pinsight to strengthen hiring and promotion decisions across both portfolio companies and their internal team.
“Talent decisions in PE-backed companies can’t be left to gut feel. We needed real data on whether someone could actually lead in a plant or a dynamic ops environment. That’s where Pinsight came in.”
— Krissie Baily, Director at MiddleGround Capital
Solution: Simulation-Based Assessment at Scale
Pinsight delivered simulation-based assessments that mirror real-world scenarios—conflict, ambiguity, change management—allowing MiddleGround to assess how candidates actually behave under pressure. Their implementation included:
- Executive and Mid-Level Simulations: C-suite, CFOs, and plant/ops leadership
- Internal Talent Development: Integrated Pinsight into MiddleGround’s own hiring process
- Scalable Rollout: Used across multiple portfolio companies and geographies
By replacing unstructured interviews with behavior-based data, MiddleGround was able to surface both red flags and high-potential leaders early—often before day one on the job.
“We use the assessments as a roadmap. It tells us where to support a new leader and where they may face friction. That has been critical to retention and performance.”
— Krissie Baily, Director at MiddleGround Capital
Impact: Better Hiring, Higher Retention, Stronger Execution
The results speak directly to the outcomes that matter to portfolio operators and PE firms:
| Outcome | Result |
| Retention Uplift | +26% retention among assessed leaders |
| Benchmark Performance | 44% higher retention above financial industry norms |
| Faster Hiring | 24-hour assessment turnaround enabled nimble hiring |
| Scalable Across Levels | Used from frontline to C-suite across multiple sites |
Pinsight’s assessments not only improved hiring accuracy—they became a central component of MiddleGround’s internal talent strategy, offering a “level playing field” for candidates who may lack traditional experience but demonstrate the capability to grow. Read the full ROI analysis of better leadership decisions.
“Pinsight helped us expand the candidate pool and avoid pattern-matching. It’s not just about experience—it’s about the ability to lead. And Pinsight helps us see that clearly.”
—Krissie Baily, Director at MiddleGround Capital
Why It Worked: Aligned with PE Execution Goals
Pinsight’s strengths directly addressed the needs of MiddleGround’s operating model:
| Requirement | Pinsight Advantage |
| Fast hiring post-close | 24-hour reporting turnaround |
| Risk mitigation in key roles | Simulated high-stakes leadership behaviors |
| Objective evaluation | Behavioral science benchmarking |
| Scalable to ops/plant level | Cost-effective simulations starting at $950/leader |
“Pinsight is now a non-negotiable for us. It’s a core part of how we plan for growth and make talent decisions—whether that’s internal, in a portfolio company, or at scale internationally.”
—Krissie Baily, Director at MiddleGround Capital
Conclusion: Making Talent a Competitive Edge
In asset-heavy, execution-driven industries, guessing on leadership isn’t just risky — it’s expensive. For MiddleGround Capital, Pinsight became the default for selecting and promoting leaders — not by gut feel, but by real data that protects execution and fuels portfolio-wide transformation.
“Pinsight has been our crutch—our support system for getting talent decisions right. The ROI is in every good hire and every leader we’ve helped grow.”
—Krissie Baily, Director at MiddleGround Capital
