Anyone had a discussion with their manager about the chopping block (sometimes called the 9-block)?
Had one here in the UK recently and was given a bit vague along the lines of needing to move to the top left.
Does anyone know how these things are calculated? Is there somewhere I can go to see all this feedback my manager seems to be collecting about me?
Worried I'm a gonner!
After 12 years I got out early in 2016 as this crap was ramping up. Sadly, I was back stabbed by a manager that was also my former friend of 20 years. He was under threat himself and chose to compromise his integrity to keep his job. He was kicked to the curb a few months later.
I, on the other hand, got lawyered up. For years I had collected data on Cisco's layoff demographics and found clear evidence of age, gender, and disability discrimination. Long story short: I negotiated a great settlement.
Sounds like a typical day in North Korea.
@4bbh: And there lies the issue. Managers are scared sh!t their gravy chain may end and therefore will never go to bat for you if it brings unwanted attention. It's the Lord of the Flies.
PS: Most of the good Managers are gone and those that haven't left, are looking to jet at the first opportunity.
As a Manager, I can tell you first hand that the 9 block is a popularity contest within the walls of Cisco. Just pray your Mgr has the guts to fight for you as perception is reality in SJC.
At Cisco, the 9 block is entirely based on your network & relationships. I've witnessed far too many failed strategic initiatives, yet the leadership is rewarded for their incompetence. If shareholders only knew what was actually going on in San Jose...
Just google "9 box talent" and you will see many versions of it. sometimes the best box is upper left, sometime upper right, sometimes lower right. just depends on how put together. No matter what, the "bad box" is low potential/low performance - that is an easy CUT. Other boxes have different purpose. low potential/high performance is a steady contributor -- high potential /low performance is typical early career/inexperienced... needs development but worth investing -- high performance/high potential... capable of doing more than the current role demands.
@NVdWgGY-2bca - thanks Boss
Sounds like you are the biggest wan*er in the room. Your 9 block a bit low is it?
In any normal company a 9- lock may be a good way to evaluate people. In. Cisco it works like this. The person being evaluated is asked to leave the room whilst everyone who is left is supposed to discuss them in a professional manager and come to a concensus on where they are in the block. What actually happens is they all have A circle jerk around the boss. The one that spunks on the biscuit first gets to choose where the bloke who just left the the room gets 9-blocked. The last to come gets asked to leave the room while the rest repeat until everyone is gone. The boss then eats the biscuit.
Top left means full of potential but not useful to current role.
It's a way of saying, "I know you're good in X but we don't need X, you should work on Y".
Unless they've changed it, you actually want to be top right. The axes go low - high, left to right, bottom to top.
Top right means 'ready for promotion', although there are plenty of other excuses not to do so.
Centre right or centre top are probably the optimum positions.
Anywhere to the left, goodbye.