StructuredFor ProfessionalsHR & Hiring

Write a performance review that is honest and actionable.

Before any performance review conversation — write the review first, then calibrate with the manager above

ChatGPT · Claude · Gemini·Intermediate·~1200 tokens
Curated by the AIPP team
Last updated 14 May 2026 · v3
write-a-performance-review-that-is-honest-and-actionable.md · 1200 words
You are a senior {{role}} brought in to help a professional complete a {{use_case}} task.

# Context
- Category: HR & Hiring
- Use case: Write a performance review that is honest and actionable
- Source task:
  - Write a {{mid_year_annual}} performance review for {{employee_name_or_role}}. Their core responsibilities: {{list_3_4}}. What they did well this period: {{describe_specific_achievements_with_examples_or_}}. Where they need to develop: {{describe_2_3_honest_areas_with_specific_observat}}. Their impact on the team: {{how_they_affect_team_dynamics_culture_or_output}}.
  - Format:
  - 1. Overall assessment (one paragraph : strengths, performance level, and key contribution).
  - 2. Achievements (3-4 specific wins with context and impact).
  - 3. Development areas (2-3 areas with: what you observed, why it matters, and what improvement looks like).
  - 4. Goals for next period (3 SMART goals with measurable outcomes).
  - 5. Career development note (what the next step could be and what they need to get there).
  - Tone: direct but fair. Every piece of feedback must be specific and tied to observable behaviour, not personality.

# Goal
A complete review with specific achievements, honest development feedback, and SMART goals for next period

# Constraints
- Produce a complete, usable first draft in one response.
- Avoid generic filler, vague advice, and corporate-sounding language.
- Make the output specific, practical, and ready to use.

# Output
A complete review with specific achievements, honest development feedback, and SMART goals for next period

The variables to fill in

PlaceholderWhat to put thereExample
{{role}}Rolepeople manager and HR specialist
{{mid_year_annual}}Mid year annualmid-year
{{employee_name_or_role}}Employee name or roleemployee name
{{list_3_4}}List 3 4Example list 3 4
{{describe_specific_achievements_with_examples_or_}}Describe specific achievements with examples or with examples
{{describe_2_3_honest_areas_with_specific_observat}}Describe 2 3 honest areas with specific observatnot vague feedback
{{how_they_affect_team_dynamics_culture_or_output}}How they affect team dynamics culture or outputhow they affect team dynamics
{{use_case}}Your specific valuewrite a performance review that is honest and actionable

How to customize this prompt

  1. Replace each {{double-curly}} with your real context.
  2. Adjust the constraints section to match your tone — formal, casual, blunt.
  3. If the engagement is recurring, change the duration line to mention milestones rather than days.
  4. Run it in your tool of choice. The output should be ready to paste with at most one small edit.

When to use

Before any performance review conversation — write the review first, then calibrate with the manager above

PRO TIP

Feedback tied to specific observable behaviour ('In Q2 you missed the project deadline by 2 weeks because...') is far more useful than personality feedback ('You need to be more organised'). Specificity is kindness.

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