Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions Coaching Ecosystem Sparks Transformation

This case study tells the story of what becomes possible when coaching is no longer a privilege for a select few, but a shared resource woven into the everyday experience of an entire workforce. It’s the story of the 2025 ICF Coaching Impact Distinguished Organization winner: Microsoft’s Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) division.

MCAPS — 70,000 employees strong — has created a coaching ecosystem that brings development, clarity, and possibility within reach for everyone. Through focus groups, behavioral science–led workshops, and HR insights, MCAPS uncovered a striking truth: Employees at all levels desired greater access to coaching, not just senior leaders or high-potential groups. That insight became a catalyst for redesign, expanding from a limited program into a multifaceted, inclusive coaching portfolio that offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching, manager-as-coach training, and pathways for employees to become coaches themselves.

And the impact? It’s remarkable. Participants show a 34% average improvement in core career behaviors, with major gains in clarity, confidence, and forward momentum. Coached employees are significantly more likely to pursue internal opportunities and work toward promotion, feeding a 78% uplift in internal mobility. Engagement strengthens. Manager-employee relationships deepen. Performance and career conversations become more human, more aligned, more growth-focused.

MCAPS demonstrates that when coaching is grounded in strong sponsorship, central funding, and adherence to ICF standards, it becomes more than a development tool; it becomes part of the culture. A new default way of leading, relating, and growing together.

This case study offers both inspiration and a roadmap. For coaches, it affirms the profound impact of expanding access. For organizations, it shows how democratizing coaching can unlock talent, equity, and leadership capacity at scale. And for everyone, it paints a picture of a workplace where all people have the support to step into their fullest potential.