Navigating Your Career Path with the 9 Box Personal Development Plan

Navigating Your Career Path with the 9 Box Personal Development Plan

As professionals, we are all on a journey to advance our careers. We have ambitious goals and dreams of what we want to achieve. However, without a plan in place, we can easily find ourselves lost and directionless. This is where the 9 Box Personal Development Plan comes in- a powerful tool for mapping out your career growth and achieving your objectives.

What is the 9 Box Personal Development Plan?

The 9 Box Personal Development Plan is a simple yet effective system for tracking and developing one’s career. It involves breaking your job role down into nine “boxes” that represent your potential for growth. The boxes are assigned based on two criteria: performance and potential. The horizontal axis measures your current performance level, while the vertical axis measures your potential for growth.

The 9 boxes are as follows:

1. High performers/high potential: These individuals are top achievers who possess strong leadership qualities. They have the motivation to take on new challenges and can take on higher-level roles in the organization.

2. High performers/low potential: These individuals excel at their current position but may not have the ability or desire to move up to a more senior role. However, that does not mean they cannot benefit from the personal development plan.

3. Low performers/high potential: Individuals in this category have the potential to excel in their roles, but they need support and guidance to develop their skills.

4. Average performers/average potential: These individuals perform adequately but may need to put in more effort to achieve desired results. They may not have the aspiration to move up the career ladder.

5. Average performers/high potential: These individuals may have untapped potential that can be developed with appropriate training and mentoring.

6. Low performers/average potential: These individuals may just be starting out in their careers, or they may require more coaching to develop the skills needed for their roles.

7. Low performers/low potential: Individuals in this category may need to consider if their current role is suitable for them, or if they require further training.

8. High performers/average potential: These individuals may be content in their current role but may still benefit from development opportunities.

9. Average performers/low potential: These individuals may be struggling with their current role and may require additional support and training to improve their performance.

Developing a Personal Development Plan

To begin with, you need to identify which box you fall into by reflecting on your performance level. Once you have identified your box, you can start developing your personal development plan:

1. High performers/high potential: These individuals should seek out more challenging work to expand their skills. They should start networking and building relationships with people in senior positions to learn from their experience and gain exposure.

2. High performers/low potential: Individuals in this category should focus on improving their current role and maximizing their impact. They should ask for additional responsibilities and take on extra projects.

3. Low performers/high potential: These individuals require mentoring and training to improve their skills. They should seek feedback from colleagues and management to identify areas of weakness. They must also take advantage of any learning opportunities that come their way.

4. Average performers/average potential: Individuals in this category should reflect on their career goals and determine what they want to achieve. They should seek feedback from supervisors and colleagues to identify areas of improvement.

5. Average performers/high potential: These individuals should work on developing their skills by taking advantage of any courses, training, or mentoring programs offered within the organization.

6. Low performers/average potential: Individuals in this category should seek coaching and support to improve their performance. They should work with their managers to identify any skills gaps and develop an action plan to address them.

7. Low performers/low potential: Individuals in this category should consider if their current job role is suitable for them. They may need to identify alternative career routes or take on additional training to develop new skills.

8. High performers/average potential: Individuals in this category should focus on building their network within the organization. They should seek opportunities to work with people in senior positions, attend company-wide events and seek feedback on their performance.

9. Average performers/low potential: Individuals in this category should consider alternative career routes. If they want to remain in their current job role, they may need to look for support or additional training to improve their performance.

Conclusion

The 9 Box Personal Development Plan is a highly effective tool for those seeking to develop their career and achieve their professional goals. It provides individuals with clarity on where they stand in their role and offers guidance on how to plan their career track. By identifying your box and developing a personal development plan, you can start taking the right steps towards success and reaching your full potential.