Juan Paolo Arao critiques the current use of the nine box matrix for identifying leadership potential, highlighting its subjective nature and lack of reliability. He calls for a shift towards data-driven approaches in measuring talent and leadership potential, supported by recent studies linking EQ and IQ with effective leadership. The document promotes a new, evidence-based method for leadership assessment that aims to enhance organizational success.

1. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
EMERGING TOOL FOR TALENT CRITERIA AND
LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL PREDICTOR
“The Rise of 9 Box Matrix EQ and IQ”
July, 2019
Abu Dhabi, UAE

2. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
BACKGROUND
The numerical score from the measurement of employee’s potential and performance is currently used for
making decisions on the extent whether employees are most valuable for future leadership role, hence,
allocation of financial resources for leadership development programs are being budgeted accordingly.
However, at present, there is no current research on the reliability and validity of the nine box
performance and potential matrix as a measurement tool for future leaders, further, no analysis has been
made of its effectiveness in identifying potential leaders.

3. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
BACKGROUND
Issues revolving on using performance and potential scores as input to identify potential leaders were
perceived questionable based on the following:
Performance
1. Individual performance scores are highly subjective. Research consistently revealed that individual
performance scores shown to be more closely related to the relationship between employee and line
manager.
2. Majority of individual performance scores are average or placed in the middle – performance error called
“central tendency”
3. Research also revealed that past performance score is not a reliable predictor of future performance in
a senior, different and more complex leadership role.

4. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
BACKGROUND
Issues revolving on using performance and potential scores as input to identify potential leaders were
perceived questionable based on the following:
Potential
1. Potential has different meaning to different organizations. It is a high-level concept and there is no
commonly accepted definition. The attributes an employee must have to succeed in a more complex and
senior role are not reliably addressed.
2. Potential scores are highly subjective.
3. Is the concept of “potential” a generic one, common to all roles, or whether different roles and operating
environments have different criteria for success?
4. The validity of decision-making based on employee’s position in the nine box matrix is highly
questionable.

5. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
NEED FOR CHANGE
It is about time that organizations move on from subjectivity and take a data-driven, evidence-based
approach to talent (criteria) identification and leadership potential measurement.

6. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
EVIDENCE-BASED TALENT CRITERIA AND LEADERSHIP
POTENTIAL PREDICTOR
Implement an “Evidence-based Talent Criteria and Leadership Potential Predictor”
“Gifted leadership
occurs where
heart and head;
feeling and
thought meet”
- EQ expert Daniel
Goleman
A recent study by the Wharton school and the
University of California has provided a proven
link between IQ and leadership effectiveness.
Antonakis, J., House, R. J., & Simonton, D. K.
(2017)
EQ + IQ = Effective Leader

7. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
DISRUPTIVE TALENT CRITERIA APPROACH
9 Box Matrix of EQ and IQ
Developed by: Juan Paolo Arao
“Evidence-based
criteria to Identify
Future Leaders in
the Organization”

8. Juan Paolo Arao
Registered Psychometrician | Talent Management and Leadership Development Consultant
For collaboration, free consultations and more details about the
9 box matrix EQ and IQ as talent criteria and leadership potential
predictor, feel free to reach me at email@juanpaoloarao.com
Let’s Talk!