Transform the 9-Box Talent Assessment
Take the 9-box from a yearly tick-box exercise to a dynamic assessment that reveals hidden talent and boosts performance from every employee.
- When used inappropriately, the 9-box can become a tick-box exercise that hinders employee development.
- The 9-box loses its efficacy when the assessments used to fill out the grid are inaccurate, when biases are not corrected, when managers use different standards for assessment, and when the 9-box is not translated into development opportunities that connect to organizational goals.
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- Get on-demand project support
- Get advice, coaching, and insight at key project milestones
- Go through a Guided Implementation to help you get through your project
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- The success of the 9-box depends crucially on what comes before and after: assess employees accurately before plotting the grid, and create development plans for every employee afterward to bring out their best contribution to your organization.
- Move toward open, honest, and collaborative talent assessment. Invite employees to work together with managers and to assess themselves, and discuss potential and growth opportunities so that employees feel empowered to act, rather than apprehensive about being assessed.
Impact and Result
- Transform the 9-box into a
strategic tool by improving the quality of assessments that go into plotting
employees on the grid, by making group calibration a regular priority, and by
creating development plans that bring out the best in every employee.
Workshop: Transform the 9-Box Talent Assessment
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Identify Talent Needs and Customize Your Talent Grid
The Purpose
- Outline talent needs, strategic roles and the organizational talent philosophy.
- Create a customized 9-box talent assessment anchored in organizational goals.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Strategic 9-box talent grid outlined
- Project roles and methodology defined
Activities
Outputs
Identify strategic functional areas
- Talent Management Outline Template
Assess talent and identify strategic roles.
- Identified strategic talent roles
Craft your organizational philosophy.
- Refined organizational talent philosophy
Evaluate alternative criteria.
- 9-Box Talent Grid Assessment Tool
Brainstorm measurement and assessment methods.
- Selected potential and performance measurement and assessment methods
Finalize talent grid labels and definitions.
- 9-box talent grid is tailored to organizational requirements
Module 2: Pilot and Prepare Your Customized Grid
The Purpose
- Pilot the 9-box talent grid.
- Train managers on use of the 9-box talent grid.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Manager buy-in of new talent assessment process and enactment plan developed
Activities
Outputs
Define who the talent grid will be used to assess.
- Determined employee assessment guidelines
Pilot the customized grid.
- 9-box talent grid is piloted and assessed
Develop a communications strategy.
- Talent assessment communications strategy is prepared
Customize your manager training deck.
- 9-Box Manager Training Deck
Finalize the talent review and calibration meeting process.
- Defined talent review meeting process
Module 3: Outline Talent Development Programs and Integrate Assessment
The Purpose
- Launch the transformed 9-box talent assessment.
- Assess the 9-box talent assessment performance.
- Measure its success and areas for improvement.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Integration of a dynamic talent assessment process.
- 9-box talent assessment reviewed and improvements made.
Activities
Outputs
Incorporate talent grid results into your development and talent planning process.
- Talent development and review process are tied to talent grid results
Brainstorm talent management integration.
- Integrated talent management with key practice categories
Measure talent management success.
- Talent management metrics are aligned with organizational goals
Plan next steps.
- Confirmed project next steps
About McLean & Company
McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 5-phase advisory process. You'll receive 14 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation 1: Identify talent needs and priorities
- Call 1: Review your organization’s talent philosophy and discuss broader HR implications.
- Call 2: Discuss organizational talent risks and needs
- Call 3: Examine strategic roles and understand what talent is required to address gaps.
Guided Implementation 2: Customize and enhance the 9-box
- Call 1: Review the criteria of potential and define potential for your organization. Select alternate grid criteria if appropriate and/or assign grid labels.
- Call 2: Determine and implement effective talent assessment enhancement activities.
Guided Implementation 3: Assess talent, calibrate, and continue talent conversations
- Call 1: Identify which group to assess and review feedback from assessment pilot project.
- Call 2: Prepare to communicate and train managers on new talent assessment process.
- Call 3: Review process and results from talent calibration meeting.
Guided Implementation 4: Develop talent using assessment results
- Call 1: Brainstorm and develop suitable ways to integrate chosen talent assessment into existing HR processes.
- Call 2: Discuss appropriate change management measures to ensure a smooth integration.
- Call 3: Review selected success metrics.
Guided Implementation 5: Integrate and measure assessment
- Call 1: Brainstorm and develop suitable ways to integrate chosen talent assessment into existing HR processes.
- Call 2: Discuss appropriate change management measures to ensure a smooth integration.
- Call 3: Review selected success metrics.
Contributors
- Anonymous contributor, Senior Specialist, Talent Management, Health Care
- Nicky Dries, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Leuven University
- Jenna Filipkowski, Director of Research, HCI
- Anita Gouveia, Learning and Development Manager, Panalpina
- Jackie Guisti, Manager of Talent Planning and Development, Learning Care Group
- Charles Handler, Talent Assessment Thought Leader, Founder, RocketHire
- JR Keller, Assistant Professor of Human Resource Studies, Cornell University
- Chris King, Talent Management Advisor, Devon Canada Corp
- Kim Lazerus, VP of Talent Management, Maverik Inc.
- Suzanne Niles, SVP of HR, Hudson’s Bay Company
- Debra Ogston, CHRO, Watts Water Technologies
- Mitch Romanchook, People Development Manager, City of Richmond
- Paul Sparrow, Professor of Management, Lancaster University