9 Box Grid: A Practitioner’s Guide

The 9-box grid lets leaders place every employee on a simple 3x3 matrix of performance and potential, turning vague talent discussions into concrete actions. By distinguishing high performers, high potentials, and the various in-between groups, you can prioritize development resources where they matter most and avoid one-size-fits-all reviews.

The guide breaks down each of the nine cells, showing what talent-management steps work for underperformers, the "up or out" group, trusted professionals, untapped talent, and future stars. It gives concrete action plans-performance improvement plans, coaching, role shifts, or exit strategies-so you can move people out of the low-low quadrant and accelerate high-potential talent toward leadership.

Beyond the theory, the article supplies an Excel template that lets you plot your workforce instantly, generate reports, and track progress over time. The template removes the manual headache of drawing grids and lets you focus on the decisions the grid informs.

For managers looking to align performance reviews with succession planning, the piece shows how the grid integrates with broader workforce planning, helps identify promotion candidates, and supports transparent communication about growth paths.