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 3. 9 Box Grid: A Practitioner’s...


9 BOX GRID: A PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE [FREE TEMPLATE]

Written by Erik van Vulpen, Marna van der Merwe
Reviewed by Monika Nemcova
15 minutes read
As taught in the Talent Management Certificate Program
4.86 Rating

The 9 box grid is a well-known tool for talent management and succession
planning. In this practical guide, we will explain how categorization in the 9
box grid works, the talent management action steps per category, and provide an
Excel template for quick reporting. Let’s dive in!

Contents
What is the 9 box grid?
Advantages of the 9 box grid
Creating a 9 box grid
The 9 box grid explained
Applying the 9 box grid in talent management
9 box grid for succession planning
9 box grid Excel template and guide
Critique of the 9 box grid
FAQ


WHAT IS THE 9 BOX GRID?

The 9 box grid is a well-known talent management tool in which employees are
segmented into nine groups based on two dimensions – performance and potential.
The purpose of this matrix is to closely align talent management and development
initiatives to where they add the most value.

When making talent management decisions, it is important to consider two things,
which will impact the organization’s success. First, how well the employees
perform today – their performance – and second, how well they are likely to
perform in the future – their growth potential – in line with what the
organization wants to achieve. 

For example, employees who do well in their roles but have little growth
potential are likely to consistently contribute within their positions.
High-performing employees who have great potential are expected to take on more
complex roles in the future or be potential successors.

However, low-performing employees with low potential will require a lot of
management attention and are unlikely to move into succession pipelines. These
different segments of employees require different talent management approaches.


ADVANTAGES OF THE 9 BOX GRID

The 9 box grid is a very popular tool, and for good reason. It offers
organizations significant benefits, such as: 

 * Being simple and easy to use to make decisions: The 9 box grid model is an
   established tool with a fairly simple and straightforward structure. During
   your employee review, all you need to do is match them to the right box based
   on their performance and potential. The way the grid is visualized makes it
   easy to catch on, even for those completely new to this tool.  
 * Helping identify valuable talent: The 9 box grid allows you to spot high
   performers in your organization with great potential and identify what they
   need to improve to develop further. You’ll have the data to back up your
   decision of where and how to direct resources to engage and develop these
   employees. Additionally, when internal promotions come up, you’ll know
   exactly who to offer these opportunities to. 
 * A holistic approach to reviewing talent: This tool provides you with a more
   well-rounded approach to performance management. You won’t get sucked into a
   single element of an employee’s performance, and you will be able to assess
   both current performance and future potential. 
 * A versatile tool: The 9 box talent grid is useful not only for talent
   management but also workforce planning. This tool gives you a good overview
   of the potential of your employees and in which position they might thrive in
   the future. In other words, it makes succession planning easier. You can also
   use the 9 box grid to identify employees with leadership potential and move
   them onto management tracks.

One of the most critical things to get right in talent management is
prioritizing talent management efforts to where they will make the biggest
impact. Using a tool like the 9 box grid can be immensely helpful to understand
the internal talent landscape and make investment decisions.

Dr. Marna van der Merwe, HR Subject Matter Expert

 * 1

Of course, the 9 box grid is not a tool without its faults. Later on in this
article, we’ll take a closer look at the disadvantages of the 9 box grid. 





CREATING A 9 BOX GRID

Creating a 9 box grid involves three steps: evaluating performance, evaluating
potential, and bringing the two dimensions together.


STEP 1: EVALUATING PERFORMANCE

The nine-box consists of three performance categories: low, moderate, and high.
During their performance appraisal, employees are usually evaluated on this (or
a similar) performance scale.

There are many ways to evaluate performance, and each organization uses
different methods. As an example, we propose the following approach, regardless
of the scale that you use:

 * Low performance: The employee does not match the requirements of their job
   and fails their individual targets.
 * Moderate performance: The employee partially matches the requirements of
   their job and their individual targets.
 * High performance: The employee fully meets the requirements of their job and
   their individual targets.

The advantage of this approach is that it uses the objective job requirements as
defined in the organization’s job structure as performance criteria. Some
organizations may have less defined job structures and work more with personal
targets. In that case, you can put more emphasis on assessing individual target
achievement.


LEARN HOW TO CREATE A SKILLS-BASED TALENT MAP

In AIHR’s Talent Management and Succession Planning Certificate Program you will
learn how to map talent using the 9 box grid.

This self-paced, online program also provides best practices for talent mapping
and offers tools and playbooks to help you successfully use the 9 box grid in
your organization.

GET STARTED


STEP 2: EVALUATING POTENTIAL

The other axis of the 9 box grid considers individual potential. Potential
should also be evaluated during the talent review process and often falls into
the following categories.

 * Low potential | Working at full potential: The employee is working at full
   potential and is not expected to improve, either because they are at maximum
   capacity or because of a lack of motivation.
 * Moderate potential | Develop in the current role: The employee has the
   potential to further develop within their current role. This can be in terms
   of performance but also in terms of expertise. 
 * High potential | Ready for movement: The employee performs well beyond the
   expectations of their current position and responsibilities. They are likely
   ready to take on roles and responsibilities with more complexity.  

Communicating your evaluation of potential has to be based on objective data.
Through this process, you want employees to have a growth mindset and associate
extra effort with improvements in performance. As such, communicating this
requires some tact. For this reason, some companies decide not to communicate
this potential score to employees.

Similarly, you should also be careful about telling employees they are eligible
for a promotion. There may not be any job openings available at the moment to
fulfill this. 


STEP 3. BRINGING IT TOGETHER

The next step is to plot performance and potential on a 3×3 grid, resulting in
the 9 box grid. The brilliance of this grid is that for each box in the grid,
organizations can use different talent management techniques.

Segmenting and categorizing talent is not about placing people in boxes.
Instead, it is about thinking what talent the organization will require in the
future and ensuring a ready talent supply through targeted development and other
initiatives.

Dr. Marna van der Merwe, HR Subject Matter Expert

 * 1


9 BOX GRID EXPLAINED

Let’s go over the different categories in the 9 box grid and look at how the
talent management approaches will differ per each segment.


UNDERPERFORMERS

In the bottom left corner of the 9 box grid, there are the employees who score
low on performance and low on potential. There are different names for them,
which include talent risk, bad hire, underperformer, and iceberg. Some companies
even go as far as labeling them as ‘useless workers’ who need to be ‘fired
immediately’. 

Put simply, your talent management efforts should focus on employees with
greater potential for growth and contribution rather than on these
underperformers. This strategic approach ensures high work quality across the
team and prevents situations where team members compensate for others’
underperformance.

Ideally, the organization should actively seek more suitable roles for these
individuals, aligning their skills with the organization’s needs and their
career growth.

ACTION PLAN

 1. Identify personal roadblocks that may cause low performance and lack of
    growth. However, be careful not to over-invest and know when to move them
    out or sever ties. Sit with the individual to see if there is a more
    appropriate assignment where they (and you) can utilize their skills better.
 2. If the first two options don’t bring quick wins, you should create an exit
    plan together where you help the person find a role that better suits their
    skills outside of your organization.

If these underperformers are a common phenomenon in your organization, review
your talent acquisition and your selection process.


UP OR OUT

The next category in the 9 box grid is the up or out category. It includes the
medium performers with low potentials (effective performers) and the medium
potentials with low performance (dilemmas).

The effective performers or specialists are medium performers, but they do a
good enough job. This makes them a challenging group. Investing time and money
in training them will likely not pay off. The best approach is to create a
performance improvement plan. With the creation of this plan, you help them
understand where their points of improvement are, and you give them the
opportunity to work on them.

If this is not paying off and they are not moving into the high-performance
group, you will have to make a difficult decision, hence: up or out.

The dilemmas or inconsistent performers have some potential to be great, but
they are not performing. Here, the question is why they are not performing. You
need to go through the same process as before and try to identify what causes
their average performance. Are they new hires, and did they have a poor
onboarding experience, or maybe they don’t understand what you expect from them

As an intervention, you can enroll them in peer coaching or other mentorship
programs. If this is not working and they are not progressing into a higher
performance category, you will have to make a difficult decision.

ACTION PLAN

 1. Create a performance improvement plan by going over personal roadblocks and
    skills required for the role that the employee needs to work on. Provide
    measurable expectations and clearly define what good performance will look
    like. The employee should clearly know what is expected of them.
 2. Check in every month and evaluate progress on the plan. Always document
    these meetings well, as this will help you make a better decision. The
    employee will also benefit from a structured plan and feedback. 
 3. If performance does not improve within six months to a year, you should
    create an exit plan together where you help the person find a role that
    better suits their needs outside of your organization.


UNTAPPED TALENT AND TRUSTED PROFESSIONALS

In the bottom right corner and top left corner, we find people who excel in only
one element of the 9 box grid.

The trusted professionals score high in performance but low in growth potential.
They are the ones who you should take care of in your organization. They perform
well and have a good work mentality. 

However, they likely don’t have much potential for growth. This means that you
should keep them engaged and reward them for their contribution. However, be
careful of over-rewarding these employees to the extent that they have limited
ambition and opportunity for movement and growth.

ACTION PLAN

 1. Ensure that these employees are motivated and engaged to make a meaningful
    contribution.
 2. Analyze how their work will change in the future and help them prepare as
    far as possible.
 3. Raise salaries nominally but be careful with substantial raises and bonuses.
    Do not promote beyond their potential.

The untapped talent, also referred to as enigmas or rough diamonds, are on the
other end of the spectrum. They score high in potential but low in performance.
An example could be a management trainee from a prestigious university. They
haven’t learned the ropes yet, but they are eager to learn. Here it is key to
continuously track their performance – they should grow and increase their
performance rapidly.

ACTION PLAN

 1. Give these employees time to develop but monitor their performance. You are
    not only looking for improvements but for stable, solid performance. Keep in
    mind that it is easy to improve if performance is bad; if they are high in
    potential, they should be able to perform at a medium to high level within
    six to twelve months.
 2. Communicate clear expectations for their current role so they know what is
    expected of them.
 3. Communicate that you believe in their potential but also that they should
    improve their current performance.
 4. If they still score low in performance a year onward, you should create an
    exit plan together where you help the person find a role that better suits
    their skills outside of your organization.





FUTURE STARS

We labeled the next three 9 box grid segments as ‘future stars’. They already
make up the core of your workforce while also having the potential to grow into
more advanced roles.

Your high potentials or emerging contributors show high potential but are
average on performance. Oftentimes, this is because they haven’t had time to
fully grow in the role yet. The priority here is to move them to the right
position in the 9 box grid, so they are in the top-right corner. The approach
and action plan are similar to your reliable team players.

Your reliable team players are consistent performers who also have the potential
to grow further in their current roles. Your main priority is to bring these
people to the right of the 9 box grid, where they score high on performance. The
steps here are similar to those for your high potentials.

ACTION STEPS

 1. Ensure that expectations and role requirements are clear.
 2. Give employees who are new in their roles the time to develop their
    performance to the highest level.
 3. Consistently praise accomplishments, good performance, and initiatives that
    help to advance organizational goals. Also, monitor their performance and
    have regular sit-downs to ensure that they are still happy in their role.
 4. Expose them to short-term job rotation schemes to expose them to other
    experiences that will help them perform better or job enlargement by adding
    activities that fit the employee.
 5. Enable them with peer coaching by a high-performing employee or professional
    coaching to solve any personal or professional issues that hold the person
    back. In other words, help them overcome performance barriers.
 6. Provide these professionals with classroom training and on-the-job learning
    opportunities that help them develop the skills that they are good at or
    bring skills that hold them back to a higher level.

Strong contributors are already contributing to your organization so the key
strategy here is to keep them meaningfully engaged while ensuring that they will
be up for the job not just now but also for years to come. If the strong
contributor is ambitious and looking to move upward in the organization, you
will want to improve their potential with different interventions.

ACTION STEPS

 1. Keep high performers happy and engaged. Regularly check in with them and
    appreciate the work they do.
 2. Not everyone needs to be a star. If your high performer is happy in their
    current role and does not want a promotion or extra responsibility, that is
    also a great outcome. It is not feasible to promote the entire organization
    every few years, so this may be a preferred option.
 3. Give them time to grow. If someone is not yet at full potential, it may mean
    that they need to grow more into their current role before they can move on
    to the next.
 4. Leverage techniques like job rotation and give them challenging assignments
    to expose them to different parts of the business. This will build their
    business acumen and prepare them for a broader leadership role.
 5. Find them a mentor who can help them grow and fulfill their ambition and
    provide training (and upskilling) opportunities.


EXCEPTIONAL TALENT

The exceptional talent, also referred to as future leaders, are your high
performers who are also capable of taking on new roles. These are your A-players
and most valuable employees. They also play a critical role in succession
management.

ACTION PLAN

 1. Give your stars challenging assignments – they are the most likely of all
    your employees to pull it off. Examples are important internal projects,
    turnaround projects, or more external opportunities in start-ups or spin-off
    companies.
 2. Check in with them regularly and assess if they are still happy in their
    current role. Ensure that you spot early signs of dissatisfaction. Praise
    them lavishly and ensure that they feel appreciated for the contributions
    they make to the company.
 3. Provide mentorship with more senior members of the organization
 4. Create networking opportunities with other stars and with senior members of
    the organization. These opportunities help to build a network between your
    top performers and your senior leadership.
 5. If they are interested in it, roles in external boards and committees could
    incentivize them, raise their public profile, and provide an interesting
    challenge and networking opportunity for them.
 6. Reward them and ensure that they receive competitive compensation. These
    employees contribute the most to your organization, and you should reward
    them accordingly.


APPLYING THE 9 BOX GRID IN TALENT MANAGEMENT

One of the key advantages of the 9 box grid is that it makes talent investment
decisions easier. 

Select International, an employee screening company, offers an interesting
perspective. They propose that your total talent management and development
budget should be allocated based on one’s position in the 9 box talent matrix.

If you had to invest $100, you should divide it among the different talent
categories, as shown in the figure above. Underperformers who occupy the left
bottom corner should be invested in the least, while the exceptional talent in
the right top corner should get the most resources. 

This also makes sense from a resource allocation and strategic perspective – as
a business you will want to invest in the (human) resources that provide the
largest return and that create the biggest competitive advantage. Investing in
underperformers would take away resources from good and top performers.

This does mean that not everyone is equal – a message that not all HR
professionals appreciate. It’s important to accept that some people fit an
organization’s culture better than others, and not everyone is equally suited
for the same role.


9 BOX GRID FOR SUCCESSION PLANNING

In a similar vein, organizations use the 9 box grid for succession planning as
well. Succession planning should focus on your stars, who score high in
performance and high in potential. These are the employees who will build the
future of your organization.

The 9 box grid is a tool that helps in the identification of leadership talent.
You can then develop these potential leaders for more senior leadership
positions through leadership development, (performance) coaching, mentoring,
regular 360-degree feedback, and other feedback methods.

The stars are the key employees in the succession matrix, where critical roles
are mapped, and different top employees are mapped in terms of their suitability
for a role. When these roles become vacant, it means that there is talent ready
to fill these newly opened roles.

Good talent management practices are underpinned by data. Data provides
objectivity and insights, eliminating inevitable biases that exist when we make
decisions about talent. Establishing data collection mechanisms as part of
talent management is a critical foundational practice to put in place.

Dr. Marna van der Merwe, HR Subject Matter Expert

 * 1


9 BOX GRID EXCEL TEMPLATE AND GUIDE

Beside a dedicated HR performance management software, Excel is a great tool to
segment your employees based on their performance and potential. You can get a
quick overview of the talent segments within your organization, enabling you to
make informed talent decisions.

This 9 box grid Excel template helps you visualize which employees belong to
which of the nine talent segments. You simply fill in employee names and their
performance and potential levels, and they will automatically be sorted into the
right talent segment.


DOWNLOAD 9 BOX GRID TEMPLATE & GUIDE
DOWNLOAD 9 BOX GRID TEMPLATE & GUIDE


CRITIQUE OF THE 9 BOX GRID

Although the 9 box grid provides a clear way of managing talent and performance,
it is not undisputed.

Its biggest shortcoming is arguably its connection to traditional performance
management, characterized by a once-a-year, subjective rating by one’s manager.
Many companies, including Accenture and Deloitte, have moved away from annual
performance reviews, opting for continuous feedback instead. This provides more
opportunities to improve performance as well as more data points to accurately
assess performance.

We highly recommend measuring performance using as many objective data points as
possible. Continuous feedback loops, as well as goal-setting systems such as
SMART goals or objectives and key results (OKRs), can serve a purpose here.

Additionally, transparency is key. Without clear communication about talent
management practices, it can miss its goal and may result in a “rank and yank”
system where employees are ranked against each other and the lowest end of the
ranking being terminated (the yank).

This is not the intention of the 9 box grid. Instead, the 9 box grid should be
leveraged to develop and cultivate talent and, through talent, build a
sustainable competitive advantage for the organization. 





WRAP UP

The 9 box grid can be a useful tool to manage employees with different levels of
performance and potential in your organization. As such, organizations can use
it for performance management, talent management, and succession planning.

Keep in mind that the true value of the 9 box grid is not about putting your
employees into certain labels. Rather, it is during the evaluation process and
the discussions that you have afterward that will give you the opportunity to
consider employees’ successes and ensure that your organization invests in the
right development strategies. As such, make sure to communicate clearly about
the talent and performance management practices that you employ during the
process.


FAQ

What is the 9 box grid?

The 9 box grid is a well-known talent management tool in which employees are
segmented into nine groups, based on their performance and potential.

How do you create a 9 box grid?

To create a 9 box grid, you go through three steps: evaluating performance,
evaluating potential, and bringing those two together.

What can you use the 9 box grid for?

The 9 box grid can, for instance, be used as a basis for talent management (i.e.
talent investment decisions) and succession planning.

How to use the 9 box grid?

After you’ve finished evaluating the performance and the potential of your
employees and bringing them together, you can now map your employees onto the
grid. Match them with the box that would fit their profile most. You can then
use the result of your 9 box assessment to implement specific coaching,
development, and talent management strategies for different groups of employees.



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ERIK VAN VULPEN


Erik van Vulpen is the founder and Dean of AIHR. He is an expert in shaping
modern HR practices by bringing technological innovations into the HR context.
He receives global recognition as an HR thought leader and regularly speaks on
topics like People Analytics, Digital HR, and the Future of Work.


MARNA VAN DER MERWE

HR Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Marna van der Merwe is an Organizational Psychologist and Subject Matter
Expert at AIHR. She has extensive experience in Human Resources, Organizational
Effectiveness and Strategic Talent Management. She is a researcher, published
author and regular conference speaker in the areas of talent management,
experience design, as well as the changing nature of careers. Marna holds a PhD
in Organizational Psychology, with a specific focus on talent management and
careers in the future of work.


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Contents
9 Box Grid: A Practitioner’s Guide [FREE Template]

What is the 9 box grid?
Advantages of the 9 box grid
Creating a 9 box grid
9 box grid explained
Applying the 9 box grid in talent management
9 box grid for succession planning
9 box grid Excel template and guide
Critique of the 9 box grid
FAQ
Relevant Articles
4 HR Project Plan Templates To Use in 2025 [Free Download]
HR KPI Template
Professional Development Plan Template and Guide [2025 Edition]
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