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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Identifying and Removing Blockers Using the 9 Box Grid

What is a Blocker? A blocker is an employee who is preventing or “blocking” others from moving into a key position. Key positions serve as critical steps in a career path or offer a unique set of developmental experiences required for other roles in the organization. Companies should seek to fill key positions with high performing, high potential employees. We use the term blocker to describe individuals who are performing at or above expectations in a key position however they do not want to move out of the role for a variety of reasons. The individual may enjoy the role, may not have a desire to work additional hours or relocate, or do not have an interest in learning new skills and taking on additional responsibilities. The lack of desire to take on a new role or move to a new position limits their future potential, as well as the potential of others in the organization.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Limited Potential Does Not Limit Options - Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning

Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning, Part 3: Development Actions for Those with Low Potential In the final installment of Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent I address the specific needs of individuals who demonstrate low potential.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Developing Future Promise - Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning

Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning, Part 2: Developing those with Future Promise In Part 1 of Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning: Development at the Top, I outlined a set of recommendations for development individuals who have been identified as having high potential - those individuals who would be placed in the top row of the 9 box grid. In this installment, I will examine those in the center - individuals who have demonstrated some future promise and have been deemed as having a moderate level of potential. Talent development as part of the succession planning process must be individualized to meet the unique needs of each leader.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Development at the Top - Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning

Use the 9 Box to Develop Talent in Succession Planning, Part 1: Development at the Top My colleagues and I have written about the usefulness of the 9 box grid in the succession planning process. The structure and visual appeal of the 3 x 3 grid can help leaders evaluate talent in the Talent Assessment process, as well as guide Talent Review discussions. The usefulness of the 9 box grid extends beyond these first two phases of the succession planning process, providing guidance and direction to Talent Planning and on-going Talent Development.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Who Gets the Keys: Should HR or Executives Drive the Succession Planning Process?

My clients have different needs when it comes to succession planning and sometimes these needs impact who manages the succession planning process in their companies. For example, some organizations have specific expansion plans which dictate what type of process, skills sets and leadership will be part of the initiative. Other organizations have diversity initiatives that may require a different process and leaders. Still others have board mandates requiring executive succession plans which often demand a different level of participation from the executive team.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Where to Draw the Line: Determining Who to Include in Your Succession Planning Process

For our clients who are ready to embark on a succession planning process, we are often asked to provide a recommendation on who they should include in the initial talent assessment phase. One can understand the dilemma as often clients are most concerned with finding successors for the CEO and his/her executive team. Given this objective, should you assess the executive team? The team and 1 level below them? Two levels below?
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Succession Planning: Living the 9 Box Dream

Our goals are ambitious. We envision choosing the salmon but substitute the steak; we aim for the bubble bath but settle for the shower; we even think someday we might make it to Inbox = 0. The truth is, everyday just doesn’t look the way it does in our dreams. That’s not to say we never meet our goals. On the contrary, our objectives are quite often met when we have a realistic target in mind and a specific path for achievement.
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HR SOFTWARE

Make the First Move in Succession Planning

The recent SHRM poll on succession planning has received a great deal of social media attention over the past few weeks.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Is it a Secret? Communicating Hi-Po Status in Succession Planning.

Whether or not to communicate a leader’s “high-potential” status, as identified through the succession planning process, is one of our clients’ most frequently-asked questions. There are many valid reasons for apprehension here:
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SUCCESSION PLANNING

Increase Innovation and Growth through Succession Planning

At a time when most organizations are straddling the line between recession and recovery, talent strategy is as important as ever. Much has been written in the last two years about how organizations should leverage succession planning to ensure successful emergence from these challenging economic times.
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