Performance Check-in & Expectations Moving Forward

Performance Rubric & Expectations

To set clear expectations, I'm outlining the key areas I'm evaluating in this role. Since this is a startup environment, speed, execution, and proactiveness are critical. The work needs to justify itself by significantly increasing output beyond what I could do alone.

Performance Categories & Grading Scale

Each category is graded on a 1-10 scale, where 5 is the absolute minimum acceptable standard and 8+ represents high performance. The effort required to improve is exponential, not linear—small improvements won't be enough; a major shift in execution is needed.

Key Performance Heuristic: Actions per Communication per Time

The core metric we optimize for is maximizing actions per communication per unit of time. This means:

• Each communication should enable multiple concrete actions
• Proactively seek clarity when needed to maintain momentum
• Don't delay communication to artificially inflate action count
• Optimize for continuous flow of work rather than batch updates
• Questions should be structured to unblock multiple next steps

1️⃣ Efficiency (Speed of Execution)

• 1-4: Work is consistently slow or delayed beyond reasonable timeframes.
• 5: Bare minimum—tasks are completed on time but without urgency or iteration.
• 6-7: Work is mostly on time, but there's little optimization or speed improvement.
• 8-10: Work is done quickly and iteratively, allowing for multiple refinements before finalization.

2️⃣ Productivity (Overall Output & Work Volume)

• 1-4: Work produced is low and does not reflect full-time effort.
• 5: Meets minimum expectations but isn't driving significant impact.
• 6-7: Output is steady but not at a pace that moves the business forward.
• 8-10: Produces 3-5x what I could do alone, enabling significant progress.

3️⃣ Communication (Responsiveness & Proactive Updates)

• 1-4: Updates are infrequent, delayed, or only come when asked.
• 5: Responds when prompted but lacks proactive updates.
• 6-7: Engages semi-regularly but doesn't fully anticipate communication needs.
• 8-10: Proactively shares progress, asks questions, and engages in strategic discussions.

4️⃣ Proactiveness (Taking Initiative & Problem-Solving)

• 1-4: Requires constant guidance and does not anticipate next steps.
• 5: Does what is asked but does not take extra initiative.
• 6-7: Occasionally takes initiative but still waits on some direction.
• 8-10: Fully owns responsibilities, suggests solutions, and executes without waiting.

Case Study: Postcard Design Project

To illustrate current performance levels, let's examine a recent postcard design project:

Our Timeline

• Total time: 1 week from ideation to completion
• Deliverables: 1 variation with a handful of edits
• Cost: Internal resource time (significantly higher than market rate)

Market Comparison (Fiverr)

• Turnaround: 12-24 hours standard (under 6 hours with rush delivery)
• Cost: $13.50 base rate (~$20 for expedited)
• Multiple revisions included
• Reference: on Fiverr

Performance Analysis

• Current grade: 3-4/10
• Time efficiency: 5-7x slower than market standard
• Cost efficiency: Significantly higher than market rate
• Output volume: Single variation vs. market standard of multiple options

Context & Implications

• At 52 weeks per year, if each week produced similar output (equivalent to one postcard design), this would be severely underperforming
• Market alternatives deliver:
  • Faster turnaround (5-7x quicker)
  • Lower cost
  • More variations per project
• Required Improvement: Work output and initiative needs to increase by at least 5x to justify the role and equity potential

Current Performance Overview

The Effort Required to Improve is Exponential

The difference between a 5 and an 8+ isn't small—it's a massive shift in execution. Below is a graph illustrating how the effort required to increase performance scales exponentially.

This means that minor improvements won't be enough—the work needs to scale significantly in both quality and volume.

The Reality: More Work & More Impact Needed

This role needs to reflect a full-time workload—right now, the effort and execution speed aren't at the level required.

• Hours worked need to increase. If I were doing this alone, I'd be moving faster—even with my current constraints. That shouldn't be the case.
• Waiting for direction slows everything down. If you're unsure, err on the side of doing. I'd rather refine work in progress than wait for something to happen.
• Communication needs to be proactive. I need regular progress markers—not just responses when I follow up.
• Execution should reflect multiple iterations, not single outputs. The current pace is too slow to justify the overhead of delegation.

What Needs to Change Immediately

✅ More work needs to be done—this must reflect a full-time workload.
✅ Velocity must increase significantly—tasks should move quickly, not stretch over multiple days.
✅ Proactive engagement is required — I shouldn't have to check in to know what's happening -- I should be told what's happening in real time or close to it.

The Reality: This Needs to Justify Itself

This role comes with significant equity potential, but that means the impact has to be 3-5x what I could do on my own. That only happens if both the hours worked and the output scale significantly.

If this pace is just how you work, that's okay—but it means this isn't a fit. If you can step up, I want to support you in making that transition. Our friendship matters to me, and you can choose to step away at any time without it affecting our relationship. For both our sakes, I'd appreciate your honest reflection and decision on this soon. The choice is yours, and I'm here to discuss how we move forward together.