# Performance Management

> Run performance management systems that set expectations, review outcomes fairly, and differentiate performance without destroying trust. Use when designing review cycles, calibrations, or continuous performance practices.

- Skill: `itsual/performance-management` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add itsual/performance-management`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/itsual/performance-management/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: itsual (https://skillmd.com/u/itsual)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/itsual/performance-management

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# Performance Management

## Overview

Performance management aligns people to expectations and development. Effective systems are continuous enough to be fair, structured enough to be consistent, and humane enough to be credible.

## When to Use

- Designing or reforming review cycles
- Calibration processes
- Performance improvement plans
- Linking performance to pay and promotion decisions

## Core Practices

- Set clear goals and expectations at the start of cycles
- Encourage ongoing feedback, not only annual events
- Use multi-source input where appropriate
- Calibrate ratings across teams to reduce bias and inflation
- Separate development conversations from pure evaluation when helpful
- Document decisions that affect pay and employment status

## Principles

- Surprise poor ratings are a process failure
- Forced curves without context create cynicism
- Managers need skill, not only forms
- Fairness perceptions matter as much as technical accuracy

## Verification

- [ ] Expectations are set before evaluation periods
- [ ] Calibration exists for material decisions
- [ ] Employees understand how performance is assessed