performance-review

name: performance-reviewdescription: "Write structured, balanced performance reviews from bullet-point inputs. Use when asked to write a performance review, self-assessment, peer review, 360 feedback, or manager evaluation. Produces a complete, fair, professionally written review covering achievements, areas for growth, and development goals."

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.

Not quite this? Use ai-assisted-performance-review when much of the person's output was produced with AI tools and attribution matters.

Required Inputs

Work from what is given. If any of these is missing, still produce the complete output: fill each gap with a reasonable assumption marked (assumed, confirm) and list those assumptions at the end. Ask a question first only when the core subject itself is missing (there is nothing to write about).

• 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)

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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]"