---
name: pip-writer
description: "Write a Performance Improvement Plan a manager can defend and an employee can actually act on — specific concerns, measurable goals, real support, and an honest timeline. Use when asked to write a PIP, put someone on a performance plan, document underperformance, or build a formal improvement plan. Produces the concern statement, the measurable goals with success criteria, the support plan, the check-in cadence, and the consequences — HR/legal-ready. Complements pip-responder (the employee's side)."
---

# PIP Writer

A Performance Improvement Plan fails when it's vague ("improve communication"), unfair (goals no one could hit), or a paper trail dressed as help. This writes the version that is genuinely fair *and* defensible: concrete concerns tied to examples, goals with measurable success criteria, the support the company will provide, and honest stakes — so the outcome is either a real turnaround or a decision no one can call arbitrary.

> Not legal advice. Employment law varies by jurisdiction and contract — have HR/counsel review before delivery.

## What This Skill Produces

- **The concern statement** — what's below bar, tied to specific, dated examples (not personality)
- **The goals** — 2–4, each with a measurable success criterion and how it's evidenced
- **The support plan** — what the manager/company will do (coaching, resources, time)
- **The cadence** — check-in schedule and what each reviews
- **The stakes & timeline** — the plan length, the review points, and the honest consequence of not meeting bar

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **The role & bar** — what "meeting expectations" looks like for this level
- **The specific gaps** — concrete instances, with dates where possible (an audit trail beats adjectives)
- **What's already been tried** — prior feedback, informal or documented
- **Timeline** — 30 / 60 / 90 days, and any policy constraints
- **The goal** — genuine turnaround vs. documented exit; the plan is honest either way, but the framing differs

## Framework: A Fair, Defensible PIP

1. **Behaviour, not character.** Every concern is an observable action or output, with an example — never "attitude."
2. **Measurable or it's not a goal.** "Respond to customer tickets within SLA on 95% of tickets," not "be more responsive."
3. **Support is real.** If the plan asks for change, it names what help comes with it — else it's a setup.
4. **The bar is achievable.** A goal no one at level could hit is evidence of bad faith, not underperformance.
5. **Consequences stated plainly.** The employee should never be surprised by the outcome.

## Output Format

### Performance Improvement Plan — [name], [role]
**Period:** [start]–[end] · **Manager:** [x] · **HR partner:** [x]

### Areas of concern
| Concern | Specific example(s) | Expected standard |
|---|---|---|

### Improvement goals
| Goal | Measurable success criterion | Evidence | By |
|---|---|---|---|

### Support provided
- [coaching / training / resources / adjusted workload]

### Check-ins
- [cadence]; each reviews [progress vs. criteria]

### Outcome
- If goals are met by [date]: [result]. If not: [honest consequence].
- Acknowledgement (signature ≠ agreement, just receipt): ______

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Every concern has at least one specific, dated example — no character judgments
- [ ] Every goal has a number or a binary, verifiable criterion
- [ ] The support plan names concrete help, not just expectations
- [ ] The timeline and consequences are stated explicitly
- [ ] A reasonable person at this level could hit these goals with the support offered
- [ ] Flagged for HR/legal review before delivery

## Anti-Patterns
- **Vague concerns** ("communication," "ownership") with no example — unactionable and indefensible.
- **Goals with no measure** — "improve quality" can't be passed or failed.
- **A plan with stakes but no support** — reads as manufactured, not corrective.
- **Surprise consequences** — the outcome must be foreseeable from day one.
- **Documenting an exit while claiming turnaround** — be honest internally about which this is.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "Write a PIP for an engineer missing delivery commitments."
- "Put together a 60-day performance improvement plan."
- "Help me document underperformance fairly before I talk to HR."
- "Draft a formal improvement plan with measurable goals and support."