How to survive a PIP

When you look at someone’s resume or LinkedIn profile, you’re only seeing the polished version and the highlights. Behind every person is a career roller coaster that led them to where they are.

As more companies continue to make cuts (Meta just did another round yesterday), it’s important for people to be equipped to handle tough career situations. That’s why I decided to write a little more about the “dark side” of careers today and share the lowest point of mine.

A performance improvement plan, or PIP, is a statement indicating that an employee is falling short of expectations and identifies what needs to be done to improve (and stay employed). Essentially, it’s a notice to an employee that they need to change something in order to continue at the company.

This usually happens when the manager’s expectations of you do not align with the manager’s perception of you. It doesn’t have to be about the reality of the situation; it’s about expectation versus perception.

I 100% do not advocate for a PIP especially when it’s run by an inexperienced manager, but it’s a practice that still continues today. Marc Randolph (Co-founder at Netflix) wrote a great piece about why it sucks:

For many, a PIP feels like rock bottom but they aren't always death sentences. Let’s dive into my situation to understand where I’m coming from.

In an ideal world, PIPs shouldn’t come out of nowhere. There should be some buildup where the PIP feels like a last resort. In the moment, it might not feel like it, but over time you’ll see that there were signs.

While I often write positively about my experience at Uber, it wasn’t always perfect. 2017 was a particularly challenging year:

On reflection, it was too much for me to handle, but I wasn’t in the position to know that I needed to go to therapy. Regardless, I didn’t, and it all spiraled into how I performed at work. I’d miss deadlines, be defensive, and produce lower quality work than I had before. Not to mention, I had 4 different managers in 6 months. The final kicker is that the manager who put me on the PIP only managed me for a few weeks. I snapped.

However, once I got through my PIP, my career took off. I was promoted twice in two years and have gone on to build an excellent Data Science career. I haven’t looked back, and if I hadn’t pushed through the PIP, I wouldn’t have continued at Uber, and in hindsight, that would have been unfortunate.

But, enough about me. This is a tactical guide about how to survive a PIP, so here we go..

In police investigations, the first 48 hours are the most crucial, and even more specifically for homicide detectives, the first 48 hours are everything. Once you get past 48 hours without a lead, the odds of solving a case are cut in half.

While this is not as dramatic, the first 48 hours on a PIP are similarly crucial. My first 48 hours felt like a shock. Many of us take pride in our work, and it is painful to be told we’re not meeting expectations. The sadness of disappointing someone feels primal, and it creates a sense of rage.

Here’s what I recommend doing:

Do not respond to your manager or engage with them in a meaningful way. It won’t be objective and can hurt you. The PIP usually takes a few months, so you’re going to need to be refreshed.