9-Box Grid Template for Talent Management & Succession Planning

The 9-box grid offers a structured and insightful way to assess talent within your organization. It can enhance your talent management efforts, help you identify high-potential employees, and provide guidance for succession planning.

In this article, we provide an overview of the 9-box. We’ll cover benefits, share steps to implement, and offer a template with examples.

What is the 9-Box Grid?

The 9-box grid is a talent management tool. It helps organizations assess and visualize employee performance and potential. At its core, the 9-box grid is a simple 3x3 matrix, where the vertical axis represents an employee's potential, and the horizontal axis reflects their performance. It creates nine "boxes." They categorize employees by their performance and potential for growth.

Each box within the grid serves a different purpose:

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• High Performance/High Potential (Top Right): They are seen as the organization's future leaders. They can take on greater responsibilities.

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• High Performance/Low Potential (Top Left): These employees deliver excellent results. But, they may have peaked in their growth potential.

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• Low Performance/High Potential (Bottom Right): These individuals show promise but are currently underperforming. They may benefit from targeted development and support.

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• Moderate Performance/Moderate Potential (Center): These employees are solid performers with some room to grow. They may need more motivation or development to reach their full potential.

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The other boxes represent various combinations of performance and potential. These combinations help organizations see each employee's status. They indicate what steps may be needed to develop them or fix performance issues

9-Box Grid Template and Example

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7 Key Benefits of the 9-Box Model

The 9-box model can be leveraged beyond performance and potential evaluation. It benefits organizations in several other ways, including:

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1. Clarity in Talent Assessment: The 9-box model offers a clear way to assess and categorize employees by their performance and potential. This helps HR and managers understand each employee's status. It makes it easier to find top talent and identify those needing support.

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2. Informed Decision-Making: The 9-box provides a visual aid for easy decision making. It helps HR and managers make decisions about promotions, development, and succession planning. It also ensures high-potential employees are recognized and given resources to grow.

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3. Enhanced Succession Planning: The 9-box model helps find employees ready for, or with the potential to grow into, leadership roles. This approach ensures a company can fill key positions internally and reduces the risk of leadership gaps.

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4. Targeted Development Plans: With the 9-box, organizations can tailor development plans to meet the specific needs of employees (based on their position in the grid). For example, coaching can help high-potential, low-performing employees. Additionally, high performers can be groomed for leadership roles.

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5. Alignment with Organizational Goals: The model aligns talent management with organizational goals by ensuring the right people are in the right roles. It helps create a culture of improvement, and helps employees develop their skills and take on new challenges.

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6. Improved Employee Engagement: When employees know their work is being evaluated, it can boost their engagement and motivation. Clear paths for advancement can help too. The 9-box model helps employees understand where they stand and what they need to do to advance their careers.

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7. Objective and Consistent Evaluations: The structured nature of the 9-box model promotes objectivity and consistency in employee evaluations. Using this standardized framework can reduce biases.

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Overall, the 9-box matrix model can help create a more dynamic, successful workforce by providing clarity, driving informed decisions, and supporting employee growth.

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How to Create a 9-Box Grid in 9 Steps

Implementing the 9-box requires a strategic approach that involves careful planning, execution, and follow-up. Here are key steps to ensure you use the 9-box framework to its full potential:

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1. Define Clear Criteria for Performance and Potential: Before using the 9-box grid, set clear and objective criteria–criteria to assess both performance and potential. Performance can be evaluated based on key performance indicators (KPIs), goal achievement, and behavioral competencies. Potential can be based on factors like leadership, adaptability, and learning agility.

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2. Collect and Analyze Employee Data: Gather comprehensive data on employee performance and potential through performance reviews, 360-degree feedback, self-assessments, and other relevant tools. It's vital to ensure the data is accurate and current. It must reflect each employee's skills and growth potential.

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3. Engage Key Stakeholders: Involve managers, HR professionals, and senior leaders in the 9-box assessment process. Their insights are key to ensuring the grid is fair, unbiased, and aligned with organizational goals. Collaboration across departments can also help in achieving a more holistic view of each employee.

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4. Plot Employees on the 9-Box Grid: With the data collected and analyzed, place each employee in the appropriate box on the grid. This process should be done with care, taking into account the defined criteria and input from relevant stakeholders. It’s important to ensure that the grid accurately reflects both current performance and future potential.

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5. Interpret the Results: Once employees are plotted on the grid, analyze the distribution. Identify high-potential employees ready for leadership roles. Also, find high performers who could use further development. Lastly, spot those needing support or a role re-evaluation. 

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6. Develop and Implement Action Plans: Based on the results, create targeted development plans for employees in each category. For high-potential employees, consider opportunities for leadership development, mentoring, or challenging assignments. For those with lower performance, provide coaching, training, or reassess their roles to better align with their strengths.

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7. Communicate and Provide Feedback: It’s important to communicate the outcomes of the 9-box assessment to employees, particularly those in leadership pipelines or those who need development. Provide constructive feedback and outline the next steps in their development plan. Transparency in this process fosters trust and encourages employee engagement.

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8. Monitor Progress and Reassess Regularly: The 9-box grid is not a one-time exercise. Regularly reassess employees, update the grid, and monitor the progress of development plans. This ongoing process ensures that the organization remains agile and responsive to changes in employee performance and potential.

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9. Use the Framework as Part of a Broader Talent Management Strategy: The 9-box model is a valuable tool. But, it should be part of a broader talent review strategy. That strategy must include feedback, employee development, and succession planning. Integrating the model with other HR processes will maximize its effectiveness and contribute to long-term organizational success.

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By following these steps, organizations can harness the full potential of the 9-box model, ensuring that it serves as a dynamic and impactful tool for talent management.

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Combine the 9-Box Framework with Performance Management Software

PerformYard is a powerful performance management software that streamlines the use of 9-box templates. It centralizes data from various sources, like performance reviews and goal tracking. This ensures assessments are accurate and up-to-date. 

PerformYard also fosters collaboration by enabling managers, HR professionals, and leaders to contribute and document their insights. Additionally, PerformYard integrates the 9-box model with broader talent management processes like continuous feedback and career development, ensuring a comprehensive approach to managing and developing talent.