Sample Manager Performance Review: A Complete Guide With Examples

Managers play a critical role in guiding teams, driving strategy, and aligning with company goals. That’s why their performance reviews should reflect both their leadership and impact. 

In this guide, you’ll find sample reviews, templates, and phrases to help you write clear, constructive manager evaluations.

What Makes a Manager's Performance Review Different

Manager performance reviews are largely different from general employee reviews. The responsibilities of managers in an organization are far more diverse than those of general employees. When leadership comes in, managers are the essential driving force of the company. To write a sample performance review for the manager, you cannot only factor in the individual efforts they make in the company but also:

• Team performance and morale: You can write a sample manager performance review mentioning how the manager’s efforts are contributing to team performance and morale. If the manager is not working well enough to boost the morale of the employees, the performance review should reflect that. You can also add solutions as to how the manager can work on team engagement. 

• Coaching and development of direct reports: Another significant responsibility of managers is to guide and mentor on complex issues. You can add facts and figures while writing a performance review for managers. Highlight the number of employees managers have mentored for a project. Also, when an employee has lagged, mention in the review if the manager has created any development plan for him or not. 

• Decision-making and cross-functional collaboration: There can be some projects in an organization where different teams collaborate to make it work. In such cases, managers need to oversee responsibilities more closely and mitigate any confusion. You can write a project manager performance review sample by highlighting their tactful decision-making skills or how they have established collaboration by implementing fun games and activities.

Ensure creating specific manager performance reviews highlighting leadership, team management skills, decision-making skills, and other critical attributes. Managers undertake various responsibilities, and reading generic reviews amidst their work would be futile. Hence, make sure the performance reviews for managers are clear and specific. You can also add reviews highlighting their behavior towards the staff and include progressive phrases. 

Components of a Great Manager Performance Review

An effective sample performance review for managers depends on various factors: 

1. Leadership and Team Management

To write a sample manager performance review, you need to mention specifically how managers motivate, support, and challenge their team. Also, highlight what initiatives managers have undertaken to create a safe and productive working environment. 

2. Communication and Collaboration

The performance review for managers should highlight whether they are establishing strong communication among team members or not. Create a sample manager performance review that speaks about the importance of aligning team members and informing stakeholders about forthcoming or ongoing projects. 

3. Goal Setting and Accountability

Managers set employees' goals that align with the organization’s objectives. While working on a sample manager performance review, mention whether they are focusing on the outcomes and continuous improvement. 

4. Coaching and Employee Development

Managers are also responsible for building future leaders. While you write a sample manager performance review, highlight whether they have implemented any coaching or employee development plans. 

5. Strategic Thinking and Execution

When you create a sample manager performance review, highlight whether the strategic thinking and implementation of those plans are meeting the long-term goals of both employees and the company. 

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Sample Manager Performance Review (Full Example)

Name: Jane Doe
Role: Senior Marketing Manager
Review Period: Jan–June 2024

Leadership and Team Management:
Rating: Exceeds Expectations
“Jane has created a high-trust environment within her team. She promotes accountability, encourages autonomy, and intervenes constructively when needed. Her retention rate is among the highest in the department.”

Communication and Collaboration:
Rating: Meets Expectations
“Jane communicates clearly in meetings and updates cross-functional stakeholders regularly. There is room to improve in proactive upward communication with senior leadership.”

Coaching and Development:
Rating: Exceeds Expectations
“She has mentored two team members into senior roles and consistently provides timely, constructive feedback. Her team reports high satisfaction with growth opportunities.”

Strategic Thinking:
Rating: Meets Expectations
“Jane has improved quarterly campaign planning and tied it more closely to pipeline metrics. However, she could further align her team’s roadmap with overall business priorities.”

Overall Comments:
“Jane is a strong people manager who leads with empathy and clarity. With greater involvement in strategic planning, she is well-positioned to move into a Director role in the next 12–18 months.”

Sample Performance Reviews by Manager Type

A. Project Manager Performance Review Sample

“[Name] keeps projects running smoothly with strong documentation and follow-through. They could increase their impact by focusing more on stakeholder management and risk mitigation. They have a proactive approach to problem-solving.”

B. Account Manager Performance Review Sample

“[Name] builds great relationships with clients and consistently exceeds renewal goals. There's an opportunity to grow by improving internal collaboration. Having said that, their time-management skills ensure that they meet targets, thus helping the company to grow.”

C. Marketing Manager Performance Review Sample

“[Name] has a sharp eye for creative work and data-driven marketing. Their leadership style empowers junior staff, though the campaign planning cadence could improve. Their contributions helped the organization achieve increased brand visibility and lead generation.”

D. HR Manager Performance Review Sample

“[Name] handles sensitive employee issues with professionalism and tact. Increasing cross-departmental visibility would help amplify HR’s strategic value. They effectively use data to track performance and communicate the roles to every staff member.”

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How to Customize the Sample to Your Org's Culture

A proper manager performance review should be aligned with the organization’s culture. You can customize the sample manager performance review by:

• Adding or removing categories depending on what’s most valued. If your organization prioritizes collaboration, team building, and leadership, you can categorize the review into these areas and write reviews for managers. 
• Adjust tone. What kind of tone does your organization prefer? Are they candid when it comes to communicating with the stakeholders, or do they use a formal tone? Understand the tone of the organization and align a sample manager performance review. 
• Create review templates for different levels. There are managers at different levels in a company. Since the roles and responsibilities for all managers are also different, based on the departments and levels, it is essential to create different review templates for different levels.