Individual Development Planning (IDP)

The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a tool to organize and target your professional and personal development.  Its primary purpose is to help you reach short- and long-term career goals, as well as strengthen current job performance by providing a structured approach.  IDPs are beneficial in aligning learning activities to specific competencies, such as the 精品SM在线影片 Core Competencies, or with the mission, goals and objectives of an organization.  With goal setting at its heart, a professional development plan organizes your ideas into a cohesive plan that starts with short-term goals and moves to mid-range and long-term goals. You then link what you want to achieve, or the competencies you want to develop, with the activities that will help you get there.

Areas of the IDP

Employee Strengths

  • While the employee will do their own self-assessment, this is the time to provide your own assessment of the employee鈥檚 strengths and development needs. These may be areas that were identified in a performance appraisal, a 360 leadership assessment, or feedback from others.  Don鈥檛 forget to take the opportunity to recognize and reinforce strengths. Strengths will often be enhanced and also be leveraged in order to address development needs.  (Strengths Quest through CU)

Areas For Improvement or New Skills Needed 

  • Address skills needed that would enhance job performance.

Professional Development Plan Part I 鈥 (Short Term Goals)

  • Goals you will work to achieve in the next 6-12 months
  • Here are some questions to ask when setting short and long term goals:  鈥淲hat needs to happen first? Next?鈥  鈥淲hat is my timeline?鈥  鈥淲hat resources are available to assist me?鈥  鈥淗ow will I measure my success?鈥  鈥淗ow will I overcome challenges?鈥

Professional Development Plan Part II 鈥 (Long Term Goals)

  • Goals you will work to achieve in the next 3-5 years

Employee Plan

  • Work to set SMART Goals (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely)

Here are some possible action plans to address set goals:

  • Take on a challenging assignment within your current job.
  • Learn from someone else (your manager, a coach, a subject matter expert or role model).  Participation in the I&S Mentor Program is a great way to connect with someone who can guide you.
  • Get educated on the topic: Take a class, course, attend a training, or read up on the topic.
  • Job shadowing
  • Research positions, departments, projects and/or initiatives that interest you and align with your goals.
The IDP is a tool for creating a personalized plan that best reflects your career aspirations, whether you want to plan for professional development, promotional opportunities or retirement in the next few years. The IDP can help facilitate your development within your current job and/or for future potential roles. It is a commitment between you and your supervisor on what you will do to grow, and what the supervisor will do to support you. It gives opportunity for dialog and idea sharing, and sets up a framework to achieve future goals. It is up to you to start the ball rolling.

DO:

  • Think about your current job along with future aspirations. A good development plan often address both current job and potential future roles.
  • Involve your supervisor. Be willing to listen to feedback, and ask for their support.
  • Identify, outline and use resources.
  • Create an action plan that is clear and achievable.
  • Evaluate your plan along the way and modify it as needed.
  • Expect obstacles and work to overcome them.
  • Celebrate your successes along the way.
  • Remember that any costs to the organization need to be approved by your supervisor.

顿翱狈鈥橳:

  • View the IDP as a guarantee for promotion
  • Be vague in setting goals
  • Wait for your supervisor to take action 鈥 you are responsible for your own IDP

Schedule an hour with your manager to discuss. Go through each section of the plan, first presenting your ideas, and then asking your manager for feedback and his/her ideas. It鈥檚 important to listen, and be ready for feedback that may surprise you. Again, self-assessments are usually inaccurate, so your manager may have important information about your strengths and weaknesses that you didn鈥檛 realize.

Your manager may also have development action ideas to add to your plan as well. Or, he/she may need to approve or modify the ideas you came up with. When you come to an agreement on your goals and plans, decide and agree on completion dates and follow-up dates. Sign the form, with copies for both of you. By both of you signing the plan, it鈥檚 a symbolic two-way commitment. The IDP should be a 鈥渓iving document鈥, and a catalyst for ongoing discussions about your development.

Have an IDP of your own. Showing your employee your own plan, or referencing your own IDP sends a message that development is for everyone and that you are invested in the program. This also gives you the chance to reflect on the form questions, allowing you to better assist your employee if the need arises.

DO:

  • Provide clarification or additional feedback
  • Provide additional development ideas
  • Offer to open doors and make connections
  • Be supportive and encouraging
  • Be available for follow-up, keep your commitments
  • Ask questions 鈥 coaching questions force an employee to think and figure things out for themselves

顿翱狈鈥橳:

  • Treat this like a performance review
  • Insist on all of your own ideas
  • Be vague when asked for clarification

When you come to an agreement on goals and plans, decide and agree on completion dates and follow-up dates. Sign the form, with copies for both of you. By both of you signing the plan, it鈥檚 a symbolic two-way commitment. Your follow-up discussions with your employee will help them reflect on what they learned, and the two of you will assess progress and come up with any modifications to the plan. The IDP should be a 鈥渓iving document,鈥 and a catalyst for ongoing discussions about your employee鈥檚 development.

Resources

FAQs

An individual development plan (IDP) is a tool to assist employees in career and personal development. Its primary purpose is to help employees reach short and long-term career goals, as well as improve current job performance. An IDP is not a performance evaluation tool or a one-time activity. It should be looked at like a partnership between the employee and the supervisor. It involves preparation and continuous feedback.
Employees take personal responsibility and accountability for their career development, acquiring or enhancing the skills they need to stay current in required skills, or reaching beyond the required skillset in pursuit of their long-term goals.
Individual development planning benefits the organization by aligning employee training and development efforts with its mission, goals, and objectives. When using an IDP, supervisors develop a better understanding of their employees' professional goals, strengths, and development needs resulting in more realistic staff and development plans.
The IDP process requires communication and interaction between the supervisor and employee. Try following these steps: 1. Pre-Planning - employee should fill out the Career Conversation form, this form can be shared with the supervisor prior to a 1:1 meeting so the supervisor and employee can prepare independently for meeting 2. Employee/Supervisor Meeting - discuss employee strengths, areas for improvement, interests, goals, and plan specifics 3. Supervisor Response 鈥 supervisor responds by filling out appropriate sections on the form and shares with employee 4. Implement Plan - employee and supervisor work together to make a detailed plan on how to move forward and accomplish goals 5. Evaluate Outcomes - supervisor/employee evaluate usefulness of training and development experiences, the IDP is a fluid document and should be updated/revised as needed
Supervisors and employees work together to complete the employee's development plan, however, employees are ultimately responsible for taking the initiative for their professional development.
No. The IDP is geared for present job skill improvement and will enhance your qualifications for future positions, but does not target you for a specific vacancy.
That is A-OK! There are plenty of ways to grow within your current position. Ask yourself some of these questions when thinking about your goals: 鈥淲hat areas of my work do I need to improve?鈥 鈥淲hat are some short-term goals for taking on new tasks and responsibilities in my current position? What skills do I need to acquire?鈥 鈥淲hat are new demands in my job (or career) that require me to gain additional skills?鈥 鈥淲hat direction is my department going and what do I need to grow with it?鈥 鈥淲hat can I do to better align myself with my department鈥檚 strategic goals?鈥
The IDP is not a performance review. Performance reviews focus on your achievement of past year annual goals, and IDP discussions focus on your plans for leveraging strengths and talents and developing skills, knowledge and competencies in the coming year. IDP and performance review discussions are two separate, but related conversations. They complement each other. Insight you may have from your performance review and other feedback you have received can aid your understanding of your strengths and areas for development, and can help you determine what skill areas to consider in creating your IDP.
Perhaps. A better, less awkward approach is to explain why you want to follow your chosen path, rather than why you don鈥檛 want to follow his/her chosen path. Focus on the positive reasons attracting you to your desired goals.
Using your completed IDP as a guide, you will lead the discussion of your self-assessment, goals and plans. Your supervisor will share his/her perspective, and the two of you will work collaboratively to identify specific actions and resources to help you toward your personal/professional goals.
Your supervisor may be aware of learning opportunities that apply to your goals. You may also check in with Kelsey Draper (Employee Development Specialist). He can give you guidance in this area.
Usually, the training or development activities will be at least partially related to your current role, but they may also include developmental activities necessary to prepare you for future roles or to next steps consistent with your professional goals and aspirations.
No, this is not a required process. It is employee-directed and manager-supported. Employees who have an IDP have a roadmap for development progress and can prepare for future career aspirations, but no employee is required to have an IDP.
You and your supervisor should have copies of your IDP. You may be interested in others reviewing your IDP, for career planning purposes, to enlist additional support for your activities, or for additional feedback.
No. The IDP is a plan, not a contract. The supervisor鈥檚 signature indicates an agreement with the plan, understanding that there will be modifications as the unit goals change, as the employee progresses and as other workplace requirements demand.
Questions about the IDP can be directed to Kerry Howard or Kelsey Draper. Campus HR also offers 1:1 career development advice through Craig Cook (for frontline service workers) and Dahlia Smith (all employees). Please reach out them directly to set up an individual advising session.