When was the last time you pondered whether you truly know who the real talents are in your team? Managing people is a fascinating yet demanding area. One of the greatest challenges is objectively assessing the potential of employees and their current effectiveness. Are we always making the right investments in team development? Do organizations overlook hidden talents or invest in employee growth without a realistic prospect of advancement? In a world where talent is one of the most valuable resources, we need effective tools for identifying and nurturing it. For me, one such tool is the 9BOX method.
What exactly is the 9BOX method?
9BOX is a talent management tool that sorts employees according to two key dimensions: current performance and developmental potential. This creates a 3×3 matrix where each square represents a unique combination of these two factors. Performance measures how well an employee is handling their current role, based on specific KPIs, accomplishments, and feedback. Potential determines the ability to grow and take on higher or more complex positions in the future, considering skills, ambitions, and adaptability. This two-dimensional analysis allows for a more strategic approach to team management, going beyond traditional performance assessments.
Imagine having someone on your team who achieves great results but lacks potential for further development. Or an employee who isn’t currently shining but has huge, untapped potential. Traditional appraisal systems often miss these nuances, but 9BOX enables us to see the fuller picture and make better decisions about development, promotions, or resource reallocation.
Practical applications
The 9BOX method isn’t just a theoretical model. It’s a practical tool with a broad spectrum of uses. Primarily, it aids in succession planning by identifying future leaders within the organization. It also facilitates recruitment optimization by revealing which talents the company truly needs. It is invaluable for team restructuring, identifying skill gaps, or evaluating the effectiveness of the overall talent management system. Organizations most commonly use 9BOX during annual team reviews to track employee progress and adjust development strategies according to changing needs.
Not all organizations will reap the same benefits from implementing this method. It brings the most value to large companies with extensive structures, where a systematic approach to talent management is essential. It becomes particularly valuable in situations like increasing the retention of key employees or identifying future leaders. However, the fact that this method yields the greatest benefits for medium and large organizations doesn’t mean it isn’t for you if you only manage your own team. Even when I was managing a financial team, I used this approach multiple times. In nearly every subsequent organization, the outcome of this analysis surprised me. The greatest benefit was seeing a strategic perspective on team development, regardless of its size.
Optimal team structure
While there is no universal formula, practice shows that a healthy organization should aim for a certain balance in the distribution of talents. Employees with high performance and high potential, often called “stars,” should make up about 10-15% of the team. These are individuals ready for promotions and occupying strategic roles. A significantly larger group, about 20-30%, should be the “pillars of the organization”—individuals with high performance and medium potential, ensuring operational stability. On the other hand, employees with low performance and low potential should be an absolute minimum, as they are candidates for layoffs or reassignment.
An excess of employees in the “low potential” squares often signals deeper organizational problems. It may indicate ineffective recruitment, lack of development programs, or poor fit of people to roles. These warning signs are another value that the 9BOX method brings.
Implementation and monitoring
For the 9BOX method to bring real benefits, it’s worth implementing regular reviews with the participation of HR and managers. A quarterly frequency allows for appropriately regular verification of employee progress in the various squares of the matrix. Based on these reviews, development programs can be adjusted: mentoring for talents, training for those with average performance, or corrective plans for employees with low results. This systematic approach allows for the continuous improvement of the talent structure within the organization.
Have you ever wondered how to objectively assess an employee’s potential? It’s much harder than measuring current performance. This is exactly why implementing the 9BOX method requires support for managers to avoid common traps of subjectivity. Calibration of the criteria between teams is also necessary to ensure consistency in assessments throughout the organization. The best approach is to involve C-level in the entire process. At the same time, I am a proponent of the view that every assessment is by definition subjective, so there is no need to demonize this issue. After all, you will be working with the team, and it is through them that you will either have or not have the chance for success.
Limitations and pitfalls
Like any tool, 9BOX has its imperfections. The greatest challenge is subjectivity in assessing potential. While performance can be measured relatively objectively through KPIs, potential is partly based on predictions and assessments of hard-to-measure characteristics. The second problem is the lack of consideration for the broader organizational context. Crises, market changes, or business transformations can temporarily affect employee performance, which does not always reflect their true potential.
Therefore, it is important to treat 9BOX as an auxiliary tool, not an oracle. It should not replace in-depth analysis, individual conversations with employees, or contextual understanding of the results. It works best as a starting point for broader discussions about talents and development directions.
Strategic implications for organizations
Implementing the 9BOX method carries a range of strategic consequences. First and foremost, it enforces a systematic approach to talent reviews and closer collaboration between HR and line managers. It also leads to more informed investments in development programs, such as scholarships or leadership courses for high-potential employees. It also influences recruitment strategy by directing attention to attracting candidates who fill identified gaps in the talent structure.
Organizations implementing 9BOX need to be aware of the risk of evaluation errors and take preventive measures. Investments in training managers in objective employee assessment and regular calibration of criteria help minimize this risk. It is also worth remembering that evaluations should not be conducted in a vacuum but considering industry specifics, organizational culture, and individual circumstances.
Practical steps for leaders
If you’re considering implementing the 9BOX method in your organization or team, start by preparing clear criteria for evaluating both performance and potential. Make sure they are tailored to the specifics of your company and industry. Next, train managers in objective assessment and counteracting typical cognitive biases. Conduct a pilot talent review on a smaller group of employees, draw conclusions, and only then expand the program to the entire organization.
It’s also crucial to communicate the goals and principles of the method to employees. Transparency builds trust and increases acceptance of the evaluation process. Equally important is using the results for specific developmental actions. Nothing undermines the credibility of the system like a lack of real consequences after an evaluation. If you identify talents, make sure you nurture their development. If you notice skill gaps, address them through training. The 9BOX method is not an end in itself but a means to building a stronger organization.
If you don’t have the opportunity to implement the 9BOX tool because you don’t manage the HR area or aren’t a CEO yet, that’s alright. Do this exercise on your own. First, evaluate your team, then place yourself in one of the nine boxes. For me, each time this exercise was revealing and sparked reflection on how I want to develop my team.