What happens to you when you hear the words performance improvement plan (otherwise known as PIP)?

Does your chest constrict a little? Are you already assuming the worst? That’s pretty standard stuff.

According to the Society for HR Management, 70 to 90 percent of employees placed on a PIP resign or are terminated within the timeframe set out in the plan, or shortly after.

PIP is the sort of phrase that’s often uttered in hushed tones. But it really doesn’t have to be. Sure, a PIP often indicates that something in the relationship between employer and employee isn’t exactly going to plan. But lots of things don’t go to plan at work (or in life!). A PIP offers the chance to recalibrate, on both sides of the fence:

For employees: A PIP gives clearer guidance on expectations, outputs and targeted goals.
For leaders: A PIP offers a structured way to identify where expectations have broken down and provides meaningful support. This gives leaders the insight needed to make future decisions based on observable progress rather than assumptions or emotion.

When a PIP is viewed as a last resort or, worse, an exit documentation exercise, a performance improvement plan deserves its poor reputation. When utilized as a strategy for professional growth, though, the outcome can be really positive for all involved.

That’s why I often advise clients to build PIPs around the CliftonStrengths framework. It gives managers a practical framework for coaching performance in a way that’s practical, but also in a way that’s human.

A CliftonStrengths-based PIP can help re-work disjointed working relationships and reestablish success within teams.

How? Good question. Keep reading.

Understanding what’s really driving the performance gap

Performance issues seldom come down simply to skill or motivation. Unclear expectations, poor role fit, divergent communication styles and competing priorities all feed into how employees do in practice. But on paper, those key indicators or symptoms don’t always show up.

That’s why diagnosing the problem is so critical to creating a PIP that’s aimed toward employee success (rather than one geared toward justifying a dismissal).

Is success measured in a meaningful and accurate way?
How is feedback communicated?
Are there proactive structures in place for checking in already?

Answers to these types of questions can often point clearly toward where skills aren’t being utilized or where morale is perhaps suffering. These should be taken into deep consideration when drafting a PIP.

Managers should look for strength overuse and blind spots

Within the CliftonStrengths model, every theme has both productive and unproductive expressions. Sometimes, performance challenges don’t stem from a lack of something but instead from an overuse.

Finding that root cause is essential to driving a PIP toward a positive outcome.

Maybe an employee is great at thinking strategically but often overcomplicates simple tasks. Or maybe they come across really relaxed, but actually they tend to sweep things under the rug rather than address them up front. For many, leaders included, their greatest strengths are a mirror image of their biggest blind spots.

So when a PIP comes into play, it’s important to help an employee build awareness around their blind spots, and how they might be contributing to them feeling stuck.

Managers should also align improvement goals with natural talents

Strong leaders don’t ask their direct reports to become someone they’re not. In fact, the strongest workplace cultures (and most successful and resilient organizations!) all operate on the understanding that we’re all humans first and workers second.

A PIP that’s created with an employee’s retention and long-term success in mind is one that leverages existing strengths to meet the required performance indicators.

That might mean adapting how their strengths show up in the workplace. What it doesn’t mean is changing someone’s personality or fundamental working style. (In my experience, if it does mean a personality change, that often indicates that the role just isn’t a good fit, and that’s an okay conclusion to come to!).

Accountability and confidence can coexist (I promise!)

Holding an employee accountable to the outcomes of their performance improvement plan doesn’t have to come at the expense of their confidence within the role or the organization.

Employees are more likely to improve when they understand both what’s expected and what they’re naturally good at (and who and how to ask for help where they need).

That’s why I always advocate for a strengths-based approach, especially in times of conflict or strife. A strengths-based PIP can help managers deliver difficult feedback while preserving, or perhaps even building, trust and engagement.

Reframing the PIP from consequence to coaching

One of my general rules is that the best decisions are made thoughtfully, rather than avoided entirely.

This especially applies to tough decisions.

Separating facts from emotions leads to more consistent and equitable leadership, and when people trust that their managers’ decisions are fair, even difficult conversations become opportunities to build credibility and strengthen team dynamics.

So when it comes to hard conversations and strategic pivots like performance improvement plans, using the CliftonStrengths framework as the foundation can do more than just take the sting out of things. It can be the difference between anticipating negative outcomes and achieving new goals and contributing to more resilient teams.

To learn more about how to deploy a CliftonStrengths-based PIP at your organization, read this article or learn more about our CliftonStrengths workshops.

Frequently asked questions

These frequently asked questions explore how a strengths-based approach can help managers use PIPs as a tool for coaching, growth and long-term success.

A performance improvement plan is a structured process that helps employees address performance concerns through clear expectations, goals and ongoing support.
CliftonStrengths helps managers identify natural talents and opportunities for growth, making PIPs more personalized and constructive.
Yes. When approached as a coaching tool, a PIP can support development and improve performance rather than simply document poor performance.
A strengths-based approach balances accountability with encouragement, helping employees understand how they can improve while maintaining trust and engagement.

Using CliftonStrengths Inside a Performance Improvement Plan