Project Manager Performance Review Examples & Tips

Table of Contents

Learn how to host effective performance reviews for project managers that encourage growth and employee development. Study expert tips, review templates & phrases, and learn how to organize impactful evaluations with our comprehensive checklist.

Only 18% out of 2,254 project managers show both high skill proficiency and strong strategic application (PMI). It means the majority of specialists have unfulfilled potential. A solution? Effective performance reviews. Provided they are organized correctly, these evaluations help to improve employee performance, engagement, and overall motivation and encourage professional development. The question is: How do managers or HR professionals host them? In roles where success is tied to timelines, budgets, and stakeholders, feedback has to be precise, relevant, and practical. When company’s future is at stake, there is no room for mistakes.

In this article, you will learn key elements of impactful assessments, explore phrases and tips, as well as discover the difference between a generic review and a valuable one. Let’s get into it!

Understanding the Value of Performance Reviews for Project Managers

Project success depends on how well a project manager leads people, mitigates risks, and meets (or even exceeds) expectations. Yet, these contributions are often difficult to measure without a structured review process. When a performance review is structured well, it provides project managers with an understanding of how their work impacts the project lifecycle.

Here are a few aspects that project manager performance evaluations cover:

How they handle delays, scope changes, or budget limitations.
How well they collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
Whether they meet project delivery standards, organizational goals, and KPIs.
What gaps should be addressed to improve performance ratings.

As a result, project professionals receive the tools and a sense of direction to lead better and confidently in future cycles.

Why Choosing the Right Phrasing Matters in Performance Reviews

The words managers or HR specialists use determine how the feedback will be received. Will it encourage career development or leave professionals confused? Generic or vague feedback often lacks clarity, while specific phrasing inspires growth, clarifies expectations, and helps to improve results.

Instead of providing you with more information, I suggest that we compare some of the generic vs. improved phrases from the project manager review examples:

Generic Feedback Phrases	Stronger Feedback Alternatives
Needs better communication skills	Improper updates resulted in delays during [Project Name]. Consider implementing a weekly recap using [Communication Channel] to improve visibility
Great teamwork skills	[Project Manager Name] mentored a junior team member through onboarding and helped them contribute to the sprint planning
Good leadership skills	[Project Manager Name] led the [Project Name] with clear task ownership, which helped the team complete the first stage two days ahead
Poor time-management skills	[Project Manager Name] missed two key deadlines this [Time Period]. Consider reviewing how to prioritize earlier in the sprint cycle
Poor problem-solving skills	When [Problem Name] occurred during [Project Name], [Employee Name] improperly escalated the issue, which impacted the delivery timeline. Consider flagging risks earlier and preparing backup options

While the first part of the project manager performance review examples brings little value, the second version links actions with results and provides future recommendations.

Key Project Manager Performance Review Examples

What defines a high-performing project manager: leadership, communication, or results? In reality, it’s a combination of all 3. The best performance evaluations highlight how effectively a professional plans, leads, and adapts throughout the project lifecycle. However, the words HRs or managers choose define whether feedback brings actual value.

Below, I have prepared a list of positive and negative phrases you can use in reviews, 360-degree feedback cycles, or self-evaluations. There are different categories of skills for better navigation.

Leadership Skills and Cross-Functional Collaboration

Let’s start with the facts: the best project managers lead through influence. They bring team members together, communicate priorities, and create a positive environment for performance. In this section, I will help you assess how a professional motivates teams, resolves conflicts, and collaborates.

Positive Feedback Examples for Collaboration & Leadership Assessment

You inspired [Team Name] to stay focused on [Project Name] milestones, increasing sprint completion by [Percentage].”
You improved communication efficiency and reduced handoff delays by [Percentage] by hosting [Frequency] team meetings.”
“You influenced key stakeholders to change the scope of deliverables, saving [Currency Amount], without any impact on the quality.”

Negative Feedback Examples for Collaboration & Leadership Assessment

During [Project Name], leadership gaps resulted in [Number] of delays. Consider improving ownership within [Team Name] to prevent similar issues.
Decisions in [Stage Number] lacked input from [Stakeholder Group], which resulted in rework. Consider involving stakeholders earlier to strengthen collaboration.
[Team Name] morale declined midway through the quarter due to limited recognition. Consider hosting motivational syncs to improve employee experience.

Strategic Communication and Alignment with Stakeholders

The next key element of the project’s success is strong communication. The best project management performance review examples assess how effectively professionals maintain clarity, consistency, and influence across all communication channels.

In this section, we will review some of the best templates that focus on communication skills.

Positive Feedback Examples for Communication & Alignment Assessment

The use of interactive reports and communication tools, such as [Tool Name], improved transparency and increased stakeholder confidence in [Project Phase] by [Percentage].
You presented complex technical data to clients in simple and outcome-focused terms, securing approval for [New Initiative] two weeks ahead of schedule.
A clear communication between [Department Name] and [Department Name] reduced the project timeline and improved customer satisfaction scores by [Percentage].

Negative Feedback Examples for Communication & Alignment Assessment

Feedback from [Stakeholder Group] was not fully integrated into the project scope, which led to multiple revisions.
Project progress reports lacked key metrics for [Stage Name], causing confusion among stakeholders.

Productivity and Time Management Skills

Another key aspect of a project manager’s performance review is time management & productivity. Professionals have to meet deadlines, anticipate potential threats, and manage dependencies without compromising quality.

Traditionally, here are a few phrases you can use during your employee assessments.

Positive Feedback Examples for Productivity & Time-Management Assessment

You consistently reached [Project Name] targets ahead of schedule, improving the [Team Name] delivery rate by [Percentage].
Effective sprint planning reduced last-minute workload spikes for [Team Name] and helped maintain productivity throughout [Time Period].

Negative Feedback Examples for Productivity & Time-Management Assessment

Task follow-ups in [Tool Name] were inconsistent, which resulted in a backlog of [Number] pending items.
[Number] missed deadlines in [Quarter] negatively influenced customer satisfaction. Consider implementing milestone tracking to improve accountability.
During [Project Stage], [Deliverable Name] exceeded timelines due to ineffective prioritization.

Problem Solving and Decision-Making Skills

The fourth element that makes an effective project manager evaluation is problem-solving & decision-making. After all, how does one manage tasks and employees without these?

As always, I have prepared a few more positive and negative phrases for performance assessments.

Positive Feedback Examples for Problem-Solving & Decision-Making Assessment

[Project Manager Name] proactively identified [Number] of risks during [Project Stage]. As a result, [TeamName] mitigated them before they impacted delivery.
A decision to adjust the resource plan during [Project Stage] saved [Amount] and kept the project within scope.
Structured approach to problem-solving improved risk visibility across [Department Name] by [Percentage].

Negative Feedback Examples for Problem-Solving & Decision-Making Assessment

[Project Manager Name] occasionally relied on assumptions when assessing project risks. Consider implementing risk management software to improve decision-making.
During [Project Stage], issue escalation was delayed, which resulted in a [Days] setback.

Team Management and Employee Development

What’s a great project manager without team management skills? This brings us to this section’s topic: growth. When project management specialists encourage personal development, they positively influence employee engagement and turnover and create a foundation for long-term success.

Below, you will find phrases for project manager performance review examples.

Positive Feedback Examples for Team Management Assessment

Your mentorship during [Project Name] increased peer-to-peer collaboration scores by [Percentage], according to internal surveys.
Recently initiated learning sessions on [Topic Name] improved overall team efficiency and reduced recurring mistakes by [Percentage].

Negative Feedback Examples for Team Management Assessment

Performance feedback for [Employee Name] was delayed until after the project launch.
Behavioral feedback indicated a lack of developmental support in [Quarter]. Consider scheduling regular one-on-one meetings to track professional growth.
Task ownership was unclear, which resulted in duplicated efforts across [Department Name].

Project Execution and Delivery

The next element of an effective performance appraisal is project execution and delivery. These competencies evaluate how well a project manager tracks KPIs, optimizes resources, and maintains consistency to meet business expectations.

Our next subsections will help you navigate these skills with confidence. Should we dive in?

Positive Feedback Examples for Project Execution

[Project Manager Name] successfully delivered [Project Name] ahead of schedule, improving the on-time delivery rate by [Percentage].
[Project Manager Name] balanced cost, time, and quality during [Project Phase], which resulted in an efficiency increase by [Percentage].
[Project Manager Name]’s quality assurance process reduced project revisions by [Percentage]. It ensured a smooth handover to [Department Name].

Negative Feedback Examples for Project Execution

Risk updates were not properly communicated to [Stakeholder Group], which caused late adjustments in [Deliverable Name].
[Project Name] exceeded the budget by [Percentage] due to scope adjustments. Consider strengthening change control processes to maintain financial accuracy.

Innovation and Adaptability Skills

Last but not least among the key aspects are adaptability and innovation skills. Successful project managers welcome change, learn from every stage of a project, and develop their skills through continuous learning. This ability to adjust priorities and adopt new technologies helps keep the company competitive and resilient.

So, what are the best project manager feedback examples at this stage?

Positive Feedback Examples for Innovation & Adaptability Skills

[Project Manager Name]’s initiative to pilot [New Tool] improved task management and reduced manual reporting time by [Percentage].
[Project Manager Name]’s ability to identify process inefficiencies helped to redesign workflows, increasing [Team Name] productivity by [Percentage].

Negative Feedback Examples for Innovation & Adaptability Skills

[Project Manager Name]’s resistance to adopting [Tool Name] slowed the team’s transition to a more efficient workflow, which negatively influenced the quality of work.
Your innovation efforts in [Quarter] lacked follow-through. Consider setting measurable team goals to evaluate and scale ideas.

The idea of a strong performance review is to acknowledge achievements and identify opportunities for improvement. When done right, feedback from HRs or leaders becomes the foundation for long-term success.

Automating Performance Reviews for the Project Team with Sembly AI

What if the most time-consuming part of a performance review could be done in minutes? For many HR professionals, reviews become a memory exercise rather than an evaluation based on evidence, but not with Sembly AI. It can analyze discussions with specific employees, highlight recurring themes, identify areas for improvement, and summarize accomplishments.

As a result, instead of relying on their memory, HR managers get insights based on the meeting content, and employees receive fair evaluations.

Here is how you can automate your project manager performance reviews with Sembly:

Go to the My AI Chats section of Semblian 2.0 in the side menu.
Click the New AI chat button in the upper-right corner.
Ask Sembly, “Generate a comprehensive performance review document for [Project Manager Name] based on the meeting content from [Month] to [Month]. Analyze [Metric 1], [Metric 2], and [Metric 3]. Provide suggestions for performance improvements.”
Enjoy the data-based result!

How to Effectively Use Performance Review Examples: Tips and Best Practices

Here comes the challenge: How can you make performance review examples work for your project management team? It is clear there is no universal template, so what do you do? The key is in customization. Even constructive feedback loses its value if it’s not adjusted to your team and delivered consistently.

In this section, I will help you apply all the tips in practice. Here are 5 general, yet effective recommendations:

Personalize feedback: Mention specific projects, time frames, and deliverables. Avoid generic templates with no variables.
Support feedback with actual metrics: Use numbers from your performance management software, reference completion rates, or customer satisfaction scores.
Combine constructive feedback with recognition: Start with strengths, then provide a project manager with constructive criticism, and end with an improvement plan.
Incorporate 360° feedback and self-reflection: Gather feedback from colleagues, department leads, and customers. Encourage employees to provide self-reviews.
Turn “lessons learned” into action plans: Extract key insights from post-project evaluations or retrospectives. Use them as a foundation for future project planning and skill development syncs.

Do not underestimate the impact of simple rules. They may appear trivial at first sight, but they can still make your employee performance reviews beneficial.

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Performance Reviews

Even with best practices in place, it’s easy to overlook small details that can undermine your efforts as an HR or a team leader. How about we discuss some of the common mistakes and find better ways to approach these cases?

Ignoring Results Tied to Specific Projects

The first mistake many performance reviews for project managers suffer from is their subjectivity. When there is no data to back up statements, evaluations become opinions. It often leads to negative situations when employees feel unfairly assessed.

Tip: Use AI notetakers such as Sembly AI to analyze meetings and extract key insights. Mention performance metrics and project data from Gantt charts, Kanban boards, or reporting dashboards.

Using Generic or Vague Language

Did you ever have a conversation that did not clarify behavior or outcomes? That’s what happens when HR managers or leaders use generic language. These phrases cannot describe what was done or how it impacted results.

Tip: Include project names, specific outcomes, and measurable impact to strengthen credibility. For example, “You hosted [Number] client meetings in [Month], which helped to reduce approval turnaround by [Percentage].

Overlooking Interpersonal Skills

Some of the best performance review summary examples focus on collaboration, communication, and trust. Yes, technical skills are always on the list, but deliverables speak little about interpersonal communication.

Instead, try to include at least one interpersonal or behavioral example in each assessment to maintain balance between hard vs. soft skills.

Failing to Align Evaluations with Strategic Goals

One of the ingredients that shapes strong project manager performance review examples is alignment with strategic goals. After all, how can a professional who leads the project not be aligned with the objectives? Instead, try to link performance to organizational milestones.

Tip: Apply management by objectives (MBO) or SMART goals to ensure every review visualizes and encourages progress toward company success.

Key Takeaways for Writing Impactful Performance Reviews

What’s a better way to finish an article than a brief overview of everything we have previously discussed? Below, you will find principles that will help you make every assessment meaningful and fair.

Focus on behavior: Behavioral feedback promotes accountability without damaging trust between a project manager and HR.
Add numbers to support statements: Link feedback to performance metrics to remove bias and strengthen credibility.
Mix recognition with constructive feedback: Highlight achievements and areas for growth. This way, a project manager will not be discouraged.
Use the situation-behavior-impact model: Structure your feedback using this formula to level with the best performance review summary examples.
Gather insights from multiple sources: Combine meeting summaries, 360° feedback, and project management data to provide comprehensive and data-based feedback.
Set SMART goals for next reviews: End your employee evaluation with SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals.
Implement AI to increase efficiency: Use advanced AI tools like Sembly to analyze performance, detect recurring patterns, and automate performance summaries.

Wrapping Up

The best performance review summary examples for project managers reflect progress, assess communication skills, and create a shared purpose. They help professionals understand their progress and how to improve results moving forward. The key? Base your employee assessments on data, provide constructive and personalized feedback, and use AI tools to find hidden patterns or gaps.

I hope this article has inspired you to refresh your performance appraisals and make every minute of the call count. Good luck!

FAQ

What are the key skills for project managers?

Successful project managers usually combine technical proficiency with soft skills. Here are some of the 5 core qualities to assess:

Leadership and decision-making
Time management
Risk and problem-solving
Communication with stakeholders and employees
Adaptability and innovation

How to structure performance reviews for project managers?

The best project manager performance review examples use the following structure:

Performance summary: Overview of goals, KPIs, and project achievements.
Key competencies: Leadership, planning, risk management, communication, and stakeholder alignment.
Behavioral review: Teamwork, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
Achievements: Key project deliveries, budget outcomes, and quality metrics.
Areas for improvement: Measurable development goals.
Action plan: Next steps, learning opportunities, and performance goals for the next cycle.

What is the best frequency for project manager performance reviews?

The most effective performance management systems combine quarterly reviews with ongoing feedback loops.

Monthly check-ins or post-project debriefs ensure feedback remains accurate.
Quarterly reviews ensure the project strategy is aligned with the company’s goals.
Annual reviews consolidate the year’s performance into a strategic development plan.

What is the value of constructive feedback in project management?

Here is what constructive feedback can help project managers with:

Identify behavioral patterns that influence delivery or communication with the team.
Strengthen interpersonal skills that foster trust.
Improve decision-making and risk management.
Improve accountability and encourage professional development.

What are the best project manager self-review examples?

Here are the best 3 templates that the best project manager self-review examples use:

Leadership skills: “This quarter, [Project Manager Name] successfully led [Team Name] through [Project Name], achieving an on-time delivery rate of [Percentage].”
Risk management: “During [Project Name], [Project Manager Name] identified [Number] potential risks early, allowing proactive mitigation.”
Communication and stakeholder management: “[Project Manager Name] provided consistent updates to [Stakeholder Group] using [CommunicationPlatform]. This improved approval turnaround by [Number] days.”

What are the constructive project manager feedback examples?

Here are the best project manager feedback examples:

During [Project Name], client updates were occasionally delayed. Consider setting up automated weekly summaries in [Communication Platform] to prevent misalignment.
During your presentation to [Stakeholder Group], you successfully simplified complex data. Continue applying this approach across all communication channels.
After adopting [New Process], your efficiency increased by [Percentage]. Consider sharing these learnings with [Department Name].
Your quick action during the [Issue Name] incident prevented a project delay. Next, focus on logging similar issues earlier to improve risk management.