After my last post made the rounds (hi Hacker News, you spicy little firestorm), one topic came up a whole bunch in the comments: performance management. Specifically, how to handle the extremes: the folks who are struggling and the ones who are quietly crushing it. (If you missed Part 1, “So You’re a Manager Now,” that’s where this whole series started.)
So let’s talk about both. Because if you’re only focused on one end of the spectrum, you’re missing the point.
Managing Low Performers: It’s Not About Being “Nice”
There’s a difference between being kind and being vague. Too many new managers mistake silence for mercy. “They’re trying hard. I don’t want to hurt their feelings.” So they say nothing until review season rolls around and suddenly it’s a “surprise” that someone’s underperforming.
That’s not kindness. That’s negligence.
Effective performance management starts with clarity. Don’t wait for an official review to start giving feedback. An annual review is the worst possible time to surprise someone. If you see a pattern, speak up early, and do it with honesty and care. If you’re a manager who truly cares about your people, there are few worse experiences imaginable than blindsiding someone with hard feedback they didn’t see coming. I’ve been on both ends of that conversation and trust me, nobody wins in that situation.
Avoid vague feedback like “work harder” or “work faster.” That kind of direction only creates confusion and frustration. Instead, be specific. If someone isn’t writing tests, routinely underestimates their work, or leaves PRs sitting unreviewed for days, say so clearly. And if your organization has a career framework or a set of expectations for their level, use it. Point to exactly where they’re falling short so they can see the gap for themselves and start closing it.
Don’t rely on “vibes” to figure out if someone’s improving. Set measurable, trackable, and achievable goals. Maybe it’s completing 90 percent of their committed sprint work, closing a specific number of story points, reducing escaped bugs, or writing cleaner PRs that don’t need major rewrites. Whatever the goals are, define them clearly, agree on them together, and track progress over time. Make the target visible so both of you know whether it’s being hit.
If someone’s falling short, give them a fair, timeboxed chance to turn things around. That means coaching, regular check-ins, and real support, not just sitting back and hoping for the best. The timebox matters. Your report needs to know exactly how long they have to show improvement, whether that’s 60 days, 90 days, or something else, and what success actually looks like. And if things still don’t improve by the end of that window, you have to be ready to act. It’s not easy, but keeping someone in a role they can’t succeed in doesn’t help them, the team, or you.
You can be honest without being harsh. You can be firm and still compassionate. And you should.
Managing High Performers: Don’t Just Let Them Drift
High performers often get the opposite treatment. They’re doing fine, so you leave them alone. No complaints, no drama, just smooth sailing. What’s not to love?
The problem is, if you don’t invest in your top performers, you risk losing them. They may not need hand-holding, but they do need to feel seen, challenged, and valued. Turns out “no news is good news” isn’t a great retention strategy.
Start with visibility. Make sure their contributions are noticed, not just by you, but by your peers and leadership. Give them stretch assignments that push them to grow: let them lead projects, mentor others, or explore technical direction. Recognize their work in a way that actually lands. This doesn’t mean praise for praise’s sake, but a clear signal that their effort and impact matter.
No matter how much code someone’s shipping, there’s always room to grow. It’s your job to help them spot those growth areas, especially the ones they can’t see. People can be brutal self-critics, sure, but we’re also great at missing our own blind spots. Maybe they smash at writing code, but can’t explain it to a non-technical stakeholder without everyone’s eyes glazing over. Maybe they’re great at executing but have never been pulled in early to help define the work. Could they run a demo? Present to an exec? Mentor that struggling engineer we talked about earlier? Growth isn’t just “do more,” it’s “make more impact” and you’re the one who helps them figure out how.
And for the love of pants talk to them about what’s next. What does that high-performing Senior Developer want to grow into? Are they leaning toward a Staff or Architect path? Curious about management? Totally unsure and hoping someone will help them figure it out? News flash: that someone is you. It’s your job to start that conversation, poke at the possibilities, and help them sketch out what’s ahead. If they’re already thinking about their next move and you haven’t asked, don’t be shocked when they ghost you for the LinkedIn recruiter who did.
Side Note: If You’re New to This, Get a Guide
Performance management is hard. It takes judgment, clarity, and a willingness to have uncomfortable conversations. If you’re new to this, you’re probably second-guessing yourself a lot. That’s expected, this shit is not easy and you shouldn’t go it alone.
Find a mentor. Someone who’s been through it before. Someone who can gut-check your instincts, help you calibrate expectations, sanity-check your documentation, and give you honest feedback on how you’re showing up. This could be a more seasoned colleague, a former manager from your last gig, or even a stranger on r/EngineeringManagers who’s a few steps ahead of you. Managing performance is a skill like any other, and it’s way easier to handle when you’ve got someone (or at least a tiny kitten) in your corner.
Performance Management Is a Leadership Problem
If your top performer is quietly burning out while someone else is flailing with no direction, the problem isn’t them. It’s you.
Performance management isn’t just about “fixing” low performers or tossing gold stars at your high ones. It’s about making sure everyone knows where they stand, what’s expected of them, and how they can grow. That takes real clarity, actual support, and the guts to have honest conversations, even when they’re awkward. Especially when they’re awkward.
This is part of the job. You don’t get to opt out. If you’re avoiding it, I hate to break it to you but you’re not “leading.” You’re “hoping.” And in the entire history of business, exactly zero good decisions have been made on hope.
Wrapping It Up
Performance management isn’t some checkbox you revisit in a mad dash to get all your reviews written on time once or twice a year. It’s the real, day-to-day work of leadership: helping people grow, course-correct, and do the best work of their careers. That means being honest. That means being consistent. And yeah, that’s gonna mean having some uncomfortable conversations along the way.
But when you get it right? People thrive. Teams get stronger. And you stop spending your time putting out fires or wondering why your best folks are quietly disappearing.
So don’t put it off. Don’t hope it’ll sort itself out. Look at what your team needs and go do the thing.
