Talent management grid

Nine Box TM Grid was developed by McKinsey for GE To enable them assess the potential of
individuals in the business To prioritize the investment on HR & overall strategy Horizontal axis
assesses the leadership performance & vertical axis assesses leadership potential A combination
of potential & performance decides the box in which the employee will be placed
The 9 box grid is a well-known talent management tool in which employees are divided into nine
groups, based on their performance and potential.

When assessing employee performance, managers often pay attention to two things. First, how
well they perform today, and second, how well they are likely to perform in the future (i.e. their
growth potential). 

For example, hardworking employees who do well in their role but have little growth potential
are great to have in your team, as well as All-stars who perform well and have great potential.
However, low-performing employees with low potential will require a lot of management
attention and are unlikely to improve. They require a different approach.
 The 9-box grid provides a framework that helps to manage all employees in an organization. In
the next sections, we will explore how to assess performance and potential. Then, we will
explain how organizations can use the 9-box grid as a performance management tool.

  Low Performance Moderate High Performance

Performance

High Box 5: Box 2: Box 1:

Potential
 Learns and adapts  Performs  Consistent
quickly extremely well performance in all
 Operates in the at current job tasks
best interest of the  Has potential to  Thinks outside the
company take up box
 Fails to identify or challenges  Problem solver
implement creative  Needs new tasks  Ready to take up
solutions when to prepare for new tasks and
necessary next level challenges
Moderate Box 8: Box 6: Box 3:
Potential
 Fails to identify or  Occasionally  Consistently uses
implement creative identifies and creativity and
solutions when implements innovation in
necessary creative solving problems
 Has potential to solutions. and implementing
progress   Can be solutions.
 Needs the right considered for  Current role may
discipline  job enlargement provide an
 Needs to learn task in the future opportunity for
management.  Might need growth
training in  Needs to focus on
people improving
management strategic thinking
and owning tasks

Low Box 9: Box 7: Box 4:

Potential
 May be a candidate  Can perform  Outstanding
for reassignment, better with the results in a wide
reclassification to a right guidance. variety of
lower level, or exit  Could be challenging
from the benefitted by settings and
organization. lateral thinking circumstances.
skills.  Keeps current
skills up-to-date,
but demonstrates
little effort to build
new skills.
 Focus on
delegation skills
for this employee