The 9-box grid is a familiar tool in many HR and leadership circles. Traditionally, it plots individuals across two dimensions: performance and potential. The result? A neat 3×3 matrix that categorises people into boxes with labels like “Top Talent,” “Core Contributor,” or “Needs Development.”
But here’s the thing: when the 9-box is used on people rather than with them, it loses its power.
Introducing the 9-Box
If you’ve never come across it, the 9-box grid is a framework designed to evaluate and develop talent. One axis measures how someone is currently performing; the other reflects their future potential. At its best, it helps spark meaningful development conversations. At its worst, it quietly locks people into labels they never agreed to—labels that can miss nuance and unintentionally limit growth.
| Low Potential | Medium Potential | High Potential | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Performance | Underperformer | More to Give | Rethink Role |
| Moderate Performance | Solid Performer | Core Contributor | High Impact |
| High Performance | Strong Performer | Emerging Talent | Top Talent |
A Missed Opportunity
Used behind closed doors, the 9-box often becomes a private scoring system, a tidy way of categorising people into static boxes—without context, consent, or conversation. It creates a sense of distance between leaders and their teams. And with that distance comes risk:
- High performers can feel overlooked or taken for granted.
- Core contributors may feel like they’re standing still, unsure of what progression even looks like.
- Those going through tough periods are seen as a performance risk, not a growth opportunity.
That’s the issue: when the 9-box is done to people, it becomes a verdict. But when it’s done with people, it becomes a shared language.
It’s not the grid that causes harm—it’s the absence of conversation that follows it.
Flip the Script: Use It With, Not On
What if we invited people into the process?
Rather than using the 9-box as a classification exercise, we can turn it into a career conversation framework:
- Ask team members to self-assess using the grid.
- Invite them to explain their reasoning: Where do they see themselves right now? Why?
- Explore what movement might look like: What would shift them one box over or up? What skills or behaviours would signal that growth?
For example, you might say:
“I’d love to hear how you’d place yourself on this grid—not just where you think you are, but why. Let’s talk through it together.”
Or:
“It feels like you’re in a Core Contributor space, consistently delivering. Is that how you see it? If you wanted to shift toward a stretch role, what might that look like in the next six months?”
If someone is in a new or expanded role, the conversation might shift to:
“This is a big step up. It’s totally normal if your performance feels a little uneven at the start. Let’s talk about what support you need to build confidence and get your rhythm.”
When done well, the 9-box becomes less about labels and more about momentum. It turns evaluation into collaboration, and turns a static tool into a living dialogue.
And when people co-author their development story, they’re far more likely to stay engaged and grow in the right direction.
What if we invited people into the process?
Rather than using the 9-box as a classification exercise, we can turn it into a career conversation framework:
- Ask team members to self-assess.
- Discuss together where they see themselves.
- Talk about movement: What would shift them? What support do they need? What’s next?
It turns evaluation into collaboration.
The Core Zone: Where the Work Gets Done
One misconception is that being in the centre of the grid is a kind of professional purgatory. It’s not. The “Core Contributor” space represents sustainable value delivery. It’s where consistency lives—and where capability can quietly compound over time.
But here’s a better way to visualise it: the core zone isn’t a box—it’s an open plane with room to roam.
If our roles aren’t overly rigid—and they shouldn’t be—then this central space gives people the flexibility to stretch, iterate, and deepen their craft without necessarily needing to step outside their formal remit.
Growth doesn’t always require a new title or a promotion. Sometimes it’s about becoming more capable within the role you have: increasing your influence, shaping your environment, mentoring others, or solving more complex problems.
The key is shared expectations. If someone is evolving and developing within the core zone, that should be seen and recognised—not misinterpreted as stagnation.
So yes, most people will spend a lot of time here. That’s not a limitation. That’s healthy. It’s where real momentum and mastery live.
People will still move:
- Into higher potential or performance zones through stretch and opportunity.
- Into support zones temporarily during role changes or challenges.
The goal isn’t to escape the middle. The goal is to make sure everyone knows how much room is there to grow.
A Tool for Self-Reflection
Even if your organisation doesn’t formally use the 9-box, you can.
Think of it as a personal growth tool. A mirror. A checkpoint.
Start with three core questions:
- How am I performing in my current role? Be honest—not just about results, but consistency, influence, and accountability.
- How am I growing? Think about learning, adaptation, visibility, and stretch. Are you staying still, or stepping forward?
- Where would I honestly place myself on this grid? Not where you’d like to be. Where you are.
Now layer in time:
- Have I been here too long?
- Am I moving? Stuck? Drifting?
And finally, consider trajectory:
- Where do I want to move next—and what might that require?
- What skills, exposure, or habits need to change?
- What support would make a difference?
But also ask: Where could I go now, with the skills I already have?
Trajectory isn’t just about future planning—it’s about recognising the readiness you’ve already built. Sometimes the path forward isn’t blocked by a missing skill, but by an unspoken opportunity. The capabilities you’ve quietly developed in the background may be the key to your next move.
So don’t just ask, what do I need to build? Also ask, what have I already built—and where could it take me next?
You can even sketch this out—literally plot yourself in a box and write why. Then draft an “aspirational shift” version and name the changes that would make it real.
Bring this to your manager. Use it as the basis for a career conversation. It shows ownership. It opens the door to support. And it gives them something most leaders rarely get: someone who’s thought seriously about their own development.
If your company won’t give you a map, make one yourself. Then bring others with you.
Even if your organisation doesn’t formally use the 9-box, you can.
Map yourself. Ask:
- How am I performing in my current role?
- How am I growing? What am I building toward?
- Where would I honestly place myself on this grid?
Then bring that to your manager. Use it to start a meaningful discussion. It shows ownership, self-awareness, and drive.
Making It Work for Teams
If you’re already using the 9-box, ask yourself:
- Are we sharing this process with the people it affects?
- Are we treating it as a conversation starter—or just a calibration tool?
- Do we consider time spent in each box? (Spoiler: the middle box should be bigger.)
Done right, the 9-box isn’t a box at all. It’s a map—a way to navigate growth with honesty and clarity.
Let’s stop drawing grids around people.
Let’s start drawing pathways with them.
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