Write structured, balanced performance reviews

Performance Review Skill

This skill turns rough notes, bullet points, or bullet-point memories into a complete, professionally written performance review. Output is ready to submit or use as a strong first draft.

Required Inputs

Ask the user for these if not provided:

• Review type (Self-assessment / Manager review / Peer/360 / Upward feedback)
• Review period (e.g. H1 2025, Q2 2025, Annual)
• Name of person being reviewed (or "myself" for self-assessment)
• Role / level
• Key achievements or notable work (rough notes are fine)
• Areas where they struggled or could improve (be honest — reviews without growth areas aren't credible)
• Key projects or deliverables from the period
• Company values or competencies to assess against (optional — if provided, structure the review around them)
• Overall rating/recommendation (if the form requires one)

Output Structure

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Performance Review: [Name]

Role: [Title / Level] Review period: [Period] Review type: [Manager / Self / Peer / Upward] Reviewed by: [If known]

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Overall Summary

[3–5 sentences. High-level characterisation of the period. Acknowledge standout contributions. Be specific — use project names and outcomes, not vague praise. For self-assessments, this should reflect honestly on the period without underselling or overselling.]

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Achievements & Impact

[3–5 achievements, each structured as:]

[Achievement title — specific and concrete] [2–4 sentences. What was the context? What did [name] do specifically? What was the measurable or observable outcome? Avoid generic praise — every sentence should be something only this person could have done.]

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Strengths Demonstrated

[3–4 bullet points. Each bullet = one strength, with one concrete example from the review period. No abstract traits without evidence.]

• [Strength]: [Example — specific project or behaviour that demonstrated this]

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Areas for Growth

[2–3 areas. Be direct and constructive — not vague. Frame as "opportunity to develop" not "failure." Each should include:]

[Area name]

• Observed pattern: [What was noticed — be specific, not personal]
• Why it matters: [Impact on team, output, or career progression]
• Suggested development: [One concrete action — e.g. "Take on [X] responsibility next half" or "Shadow [role] on [process]"]

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Development Goals for Next Period

[2–3 goals. Format each as:]

Goal [N]: [Clear, outcome-oriented goal]

• Why: [Connection to growth areas or career aspirations]
• How to measure: [What "done" looks like]
• Support needed: [Resources, training, or manager input required]

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Competency Ratings (if framework provided)

Competency	Rating	Evidence
[Competency from company framework]	[Exceeds / Meets / Developing / Below]	[One-sentence example]

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Closing Recommendation

[2–3 sentences. For manager reviews: overall assessment and any promotion/compensation recommendation. For self-assessments: what you're asking for or committing to. For peer reviews: one sentence on what it's like to work with this person.]

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Writing Rules

• Never use vague phrases: "strong communicator," "team player," "hardworking" — always back with evidence
• Growth areas must be honest — reviewers who only write positives lose credibility and help no one
• Use third person for manager/peer reviews, first person for self-assessments
• Avoid jargon — "drove alignment" and "leveraged synergies" are meaningless. Use plain language.
• If the user gives sparse notes, ask for one concrete example per achievement before writing

Deeper Materials

• references/evidence-not-adjectives.md — the adjective→evidence substitution table and the calibration rules that keep files honest

Quality Checks

• Every achievement includes a specific outcome (not just activity)
• Strengths have concrete examples from the review period
• Growth areas are honest and constructive (not softened to meaninglessness)
• Development goals are measurable
• No vague phrases without evidence
• Tone is professional and fair throughout

Anti-Patterns

• Do not inflate positive language to avoid difficult feedback — growth areas must be clearly stated, not buried
• Do not include feedback that isn't supported by specific examples — every development point needs evidence
• Do not write a review that only covers what happened in the last month — the full review period must be considered
• Do not omit development goals — a review without forward-looking guidance is incomplete
• Do not use language that could be read as discriminatory — avoid references to personality traits unrelated to work performance

Example Trigger Phrases

• "Write a performance review for [name] based on these notes: [paste notes]"
• "Help me write my self-assessment for [period]"
• "Draft a peer review for my colleague who did [description]"
• "Turn these bullet points into a full performance review: [paste bullets]"