Nine-box grid calculator
Paste two columns — performance, then potential — and see where your people fall on a 3×3 grid.
Two columns, sorted into nine boxes
Performance sits on the x-axis, potential on the y-axis. Each column can be a 1–3 scale, a 1–5 scale, or the words Low, Medium and High — whichever your paste uses, read from the largest number in that column.
A 1–5 scale groups as 1–2 Low, 3 Medium, 4–5 High. A 1–3 scale maps 1:1 to Low, Medium, High.
Share is each box's count divided by the rows that could be placed, not the rows you pasted.
The nine box names are a common shorthand, not a scoring standard — different companies name them differently.
Bench strength for every critical role, not just a grid
The succession review adds ready-now, 1–2 years and emerging successors per role, and flags roles with no successor — from the export you already have.
Nine-box questions
What scales does this accept?
Performance and potential can each be a 1–3 scale, a 1–5 scale, or the words Low, Medium and High. Mixing scales within one column is not recommended, but words and numbers in the same column both read correctly.
Why did some rows not place?
A row needs exactly two values, performance then potential, each on a recognised scale or word. Anything else is listed with the reason so you can fix the paste.
Which box should I trust?
None on their own — a nine-box grid is a starting point for a talent conversation, not a verdict on any one person.