Performance Management Skill
Purpose
Provide engineering managers with frameworks for effective performance management, goal-setting, OKRs, reviews, and continuous feedback.
Primary Bond
Agent: hiring-performance-agent Relationship: This skill provides review templates, OKR frameworks, and feedback models that the agent uses.
Templates
OKR Template
okr_template:
metadata:
owner: "{Name}"
quarter: "{Q1 2025}"
created: "{Date}"
last_reviewed: "{Date}"
objective:
statement: "{Qualitative, inspirational goal}"
why: "{Why this matters to team/company}"
key_results:
kr1:
metric: "{Specific measurable outcome}"
baseline: "{Where we are today}"
target: "{Where we want to be}"
current: null
confidence: "70%"
initiatives:
- "{Action to achieve this}"
kr2:
metric: "{Another measurable outcome}"
baseline: "{Current state}"
target: "{Target state}"
current: null
confidence: "70%"
kr3:
metric: "{Third measurable outcome}"
baseline: "{Current}"
target: "{Target}"
current: null
confidence: "70%"
scoring:
"0.0-0.3": "Failed to make progress"
"0.4-0.6": "Made progress but fell short"
"0.7-0.9": "Delivered (target zone)"
"1.0": "Fully achieved (might not have been ambitious enough)"
review_cadence:
weekly: "Quick progress check"
monthly: "Deep review, adjust if needed"
quarterly: "Final scoring and retrospective"
Performance Review Template
performance_review:
metadata:
employee: "{Name}"
level: "{Current level}"
manager: "{Manager name}"
review_period: "{Date range}"
review_date: "{Date}"
overall_rating:
scale: "[1-5]"
rating: null
summary: ""
rating_definitions:
5: "Exceptional - Top 5%, role model, exceptional impact"
4: "Exceeds - Frequently exceeds expectations"
3: "Meets - Consistently meets expectations"
2: "Developing - Partially meets, improving"
1: "Below - Does not meet, action needed"
goal_review:
goal_1:
description: "{Goal from last review}"
target: "{What success looked like}"
result: "{What was achieved}"
rating: null
learning: ""
goal_2:
description: ""
target: ""
result: ""
rating: null
competency_assessment:
technical_excellence:
rating: null
strengths: []
growth_areas: []
evidence: ""
collaboration:
rating: null
strengths: []
growth_areas: []
evidence: ""
communication:
rating: null
strengths: []
growth_areas: []
evidence: ""
ownership:
rating: null
strengths: []
growth_areas: []
evidence: ""
impact:
rating: null
strengths: []
growth_areas: []
evidence: ""
peer_feedback_summary:
themes: []
quotes: []
development_plan:
strengths_to_leverage: []
focus_areas:
- area: ""
action: ""
timeline: ""
success_metric: ""
support_needed: []
resources: []
next_period_goals:
goal_1:
description: ""
success_criteria: ""
alignment: ""
career_discussion:
aspirations: ""
timeline_to_next_level: ""
gaps_to_address: []
Continuous Feedback (SBI Model)
sbi_feedback:
model:
situation: "In {specific context/meeting/moment}..."
behavior: "I observed/noticed {specific observable behavior}..."
impact: "The impact was {effect on team/project/individual}..."
examples:
positive:
situation: "In yesterday's design review"
behavior: "you asked probing questions that helped us identify a critical edge case"
impact: "which likely saved us a week of rework and improved the design"
constructive:
situation: "In the last sprint planning"
behavior: "you committed to more story points than you could complete"
impact: "which meant the team had to scramble to cover, affecting our sprint goal"
best_practices:
- "Be specific (not 'you're doing great' but 'your documentation was thorough')"
- "Be timely (within 48 hours of the event)"
- "Focus on behavior (not personality)"
- "Be balanced (both positive and constructive)"
- "Make it a conversation (not a lecture)"
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
performance_improvement_plan:
metadata:
employee: "{Name}"
manager: "{Name}"
hr_partner: "{Name}"
start_date: "{Date}"
end_date: "{Date}"
duration: "{30/60/90 days}"
performance_concerns:
concern_1:
area: "{Specific area of concern}"
examples:
- "{Specific instance with date}"
- "{Another specific instance}"
expected_standard: "{What 'good' looks like}"
concern_2:
area: ""
examples: []
expected_standard: ""
improvement_goals:
goal_1:
description: "{Specific, measurable improvement}"
success_criteria: "{How we'll know it's achieved}"
timeline: "{When by}"
support_provided: "{Training, mentoring, etc.}"
goal_2:
description: ""
success_criteria: ""
timeline: ""
support_provided: ""
check_in_schedule:
- date: "{Week 1}"
focus: "{Initial check-in}"
- date: "{Week 2}"
focus: "{Progress review}"
- date: "{Midpoint}"
focus: "{Formal midpoint review}"
- date: "{Final}"
focus: "{Final evaluation}"
outcomes:
successful: "Return to good standing, continue employment"
unsuccessful: "Separation from company"
acknowledgement:
employee_signature: ""
manager_signature: ""
date: ""
Decision Trees
Rating Calibration
Individual assessment complete
|
+-- Compare to level expectations
| +-- Exceeds level consistently? -> Consider 4 or 5
| +-- Meets level consistently? -> 3
| +-- Below level? -> 2 or below
|
+-- Compare to peers at same level
| +-- Top quartile? -> Lean toward 4+
| +-- Middle half? -> Likely 3
| +-- Bottom quartile? -> Likely 2 or below
|
+-- Review evidence quality
| +-- Specific examples documented? -> Trust rating
| +-- Vague or missing? -> Reconsider, gather more
|
+-- Final calibration with peers
+-- Adjust for consistency across org
When to Start PIP
Performance concern identified
|
+-- Is this a new issue?
| +-- Yes -> Give feedback, set expectations, monitor
| +-- No -> Continue
|
+-- Has feedback been given previously?
| +-- No -> Give clear feedback first, document
| +-- Yes -> Continue
|
+-- Has there been time to improve (4-8 weeks)?
| +-- No -> Allow time, provide support
| +-- Yes -> Continue
|
+-- Is there a pattern of underperformance?
| +-- No -> May be temporary, continue coaching
| +-- Yes -> Consider PIP
|
+-- Is the issue coachable?
+-- Yes -> Start PIP with clear goals
+-- No -> May need immediate action (HR consult)
Anti-Patterns
anti_patterns:
recency_bias:
symptom: "Only remembering last month of performance"
remedy:
- "Keep running notes throughout period"
- "Review goals quarterly"
- "Collect feedback continuously"
rating_inflation:
symptom: "Everyone is 'exceeds expectations'"
remedy:
- "Calibration sessions"
- "Distribution guidelines"
- "Manager training"
surprise_reviews:
symptom: "First time hearing about issues at review"
remedy:
- "Continuous feedback culture"
- "Monthly check-ins on goals"
- "No surprises rule"
personality_focus:
symptom: "Rating the person, not the work"
remedy:
- "Evidence-based reviews"
- "Specific examples required"
- "Behavior focus"
Quick Reference Cards
Goal-Setting (SMART)
S - Specific: Clear and well-defined
M - Measurable: Quantifiable outcomes
A - Achievable: Realistic but challenging
R - Relevant: Aligned with team/company goals
T - Time-bound: Clear deadline
Example:
Bad: "Improve code quality"
Good: "Reduce production incidents by 30% in Q2
by implementing automated testing for
critical paths, measured by PagerDuty data"
Feedback Frequency
| Type | Cadence | Format | |------|---------|--------| | Quick praise | Daily | Slack/in-person | | Constructive | Within 48h of event | Private 1-on-1 | | Goal progress | Weekly in 1-on-1 | Documented | | Formal review | Semi-annual | Written + meeting |
Distribution Guidelines
| Rating | Target % | Description | |--------|----------|-------------| | 5 | ~5% | Exceptional, role model | | 4 | ~20% | Exceeds consistently | | 3 | ~50% | Meets expectations fully | | 2 | ~20% | Developing, improving | | 1 | ~5% | Below, needs action |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Root Cause | Solution | |---------|-----------|----------| | Goals not achieved | Unclear or unrealistic | Use SMART, check in weekly | | Surprises at review | No ongoing feedback | Continuous feedback culture | | Rating disagreements | Different standards | Calibration sessions | | PIP fails | Wrong fit, not coachable | Better hiring, earlier intervention |
Validation Rules
input_validation:
review_type:
type: enum
values: [annual, mid_year, quarterly, pip]
required: true
employee_level:
type: enum
values: [junior, mid, senior, staff, principal, manager]
required: false
timeline:
type: enum
values: [30_day, 60_day, 90_day]
required: false
Resources
Books:
- Measure What Matters - John Doerr
- Radical Candor - Kim Scott
- High Output Management - Andy Grove
- The Effective Manager - Mark Horstman
Frameworks:
- OKR methodology (Google, Intel)
- SMART goals
- SBI feedback model