Performance review phrases by competency: 60 lines that are specific

Generic performance review phrases are worse than none. "Consistently exceeds expectations" tells the employee nothing and gives HR nothing to stand on if the rating is ever questioned.

Every phrase below has a blank in square brackets. Fill it with a real example and the line stops being filler. They are grouped by competency, at three levels: strong, solid, and needs work.

Quality of work

Strong

• Work arrives ready to use. [Example] went to the client with no revisions.
• Catches problems before they reach anyone else, most recently [example].
• Sets the standard others copy; the team now uses [their template or method].

Solid

• Accurate and reliable on routine work; errors are rare and fixed quickly.
• Follows the agreed standard on [task] without needing reminders.

Needs work

• [Deliverable] needed [number] rounds of revision; the goal next period is first-time right on [task type].
• Checks own work inconsistently. Agreed to use [checklist] before submitting.

Job knowledge

Strong

• The go-to person for [area]; [team or colleagues] regularly ask for their view.
• Learned [new system or skill] and trained [number] colleagues on it.

Solid

• Understands the core of the role well and knows when to ask for help.
• Keeps up with changes to [process or regulation] without prompting.

Needs work

• Still relies on others for [specific task]. Target: handle it independently by [date].

Initiative

Strong

• Spotted [problem] before it was raised and fixed it; [result].
• Proposed and ran [improvement] without being asked, saving [time or cost].

Solid

• Takes ownership of assigned work and flags issues early.
• Suggests improvements in team meetings, most recently [example].

Needs work

• Tends to wait for direction on [type of task]. Next period: bring one proposed fix with each problem raised.

Communication

Strong

• Writes updates senior readers act on without follow-up questions; [example].
• Handled [difficult conversation] calmly and kept the relationship intact.

Solid

• Keeps stakeholders informed and responds within agreed timeframes.

Needs work

• Updates are often too long to act on. Goal: lead with the decision needed, in the first line.
• Raised [issue] late; earlier escalation would have avoided [consequence].

Dependability

Strong

• Has not missed a committed deadline this period, including [demanding example].
• Trusted with [critical task] without oversight.

Solid

• Reliable on commitments; flags early when a date is at risk.

Needs work

• Missed [number] deadlines, mostly on [type of work]. Agreed to confirm scope and dates in writing before starting.

Quantity of work

Strong

• Delivered [volume] this period against a target of [target], without a drop in quality.
• Absorbed [extra workload] during [period] and kept turnaround at [time].

Solid

• Consistently meets volume targets and manages workload without escalation.

Needs work

• Output on [task] is below the team range of [range]. We will review workload and blockers together monthly.

Three rules for using them

1. One example per phrase, minimum. If you cannot think of one, the phrase does not apply.
2. Needs-work lines always end with what happens next. A problem without a plan reads as a verdict.
3. Keep the ratio honest. A review that is all strong lines is as unhelpful as one that is all criticism.

Questions people ask

How many phrases should a review include?

Two to four per competency you rate, each with an example. More than that and the important points get lost.

Can I use AI to write performance reviews?

Use it to tighten wording from your own notes, not to generate judgements. Check your company's policy first, and never paste in personal data you would not put in an email.

What is the difference between solid and needs work?

Solid means the expectations of the role are met. Needs work means a specific gap with a specific plan. If you cannot name the gap, it is probably solid.

Where to take this next

If you are on the other side of the table this cycle, see self-evaluation examples for work. For full review, feedback and one-to-one playbooks that install into your AI assistant, see the Work Arsenal.