Aligning Talent Assessment with Role Requirements 

The 9-Box Grid is used to understand the organization’s current talent capacity by evaluating employee performance and potential. Placement on the grid alone does not determine succession readiness. To prepare for successor nomination, leadership pairs 9-Box Grid results with the succession planning profiles created in Step 2.  

Succession Planning Profiles define the education, experience, competencies, leadership behaviors, and readiness expectations required for success in each position. When these role requirements are considered alongside 9-Box Grid placement, leaders can more accurately identify which employees may be ready now, ready soon, or require additional development before being considered for succession. This alignment ensures that successor nominations are for a specific position, equitable, and aligned with organizational needs.

How this Process Looks in Practice  

An employee may be placed in the "Develop" category on the 9-Box Grid (yellow talent pool category). When compared with the Succession Planning Profile, leaders determine whether the employee already demonstrates the competencies required for the role or needs additional development. This process helps ensure successor nominations are intentional, equitable, and aligned with position requirements.