It’s common knowledge that an organization’s most valuable resource is workforce. It is not enough to concentrate on getting individuals in the door if retention is your primary priority. One of the main perks that employees are searching for is a robust career development program, according to research findings.

Individual development plans, or IDPs, are a good place to start if you’re looking for a significant strategy to start highlighting employee improvement. Although IDPs were originally used to underwhelming performance, they are now more frequently used in the workplace.

This article will dissect what individual development plans (IDPs) are, why they’re important, and how you make one that really represents your goals. Again, we’ll provide you an aid to help you actualize your objectives.

What are Individual Development Plans?

These are structured papers created to help people identify their goals for both professional and personal growth and the actions needed to accomplish these goals. Basically, they have different sections dedicated to evaluation, goal-setting, action planning, and self-evaluation.

Here is a breakdown of what you can find in an IDP:

• Self-assessment: People consider their present competencies, assets and liabilities, passions, and desired careers. They can find areas for development and progress by engaging in this self-examination.
• Goal-setting: Humans establish definite, achievable targets that they can achieve. These objectives may be long-term or short-ter.
• Action planning: People create thorough action plans that specify the measures they will take to accomplish their objectives. This could involve learning new skills, looking for a mentor, networking, enrolling in courses, or taking on difficult tasks.
• Development activities: Those with disabilities frequently include an aspect in their IDPs where they list certain experiences or activities that will enhance their personal development. This could involve going to school, learning on the job, doing independent study, or joining associations for professionals.
• Measurement and evaluation: People set up metrics to measure their progress. They may also access their growth efforts, pinpoint areas of success, and make necessary improvements when they conduct regular evaluations.

Read: Self-Driven Excellence: How to Propel Yourself Toward Achievement and Fulfillment

What is a short term goal IDP?

A short term goal IDP is an attainable target that a person wants to reach within the shortest time possible, usually a few months to a year.

These immediate goals act as stepping stones toward more ambitious long-term objectives. The short-term goals are intended to be achievable and practical, offering people concrete benchmarks to strive for as they advance on their path of personal growth.

Most importantly, they are important for keeping drive and momentum going and are frequently in tandem with larger professional or personal ambitions.

Some examples of short-term IDP goals are:

• Gaining new knowledge or expertise in line with one’s hobbies
• Finishing a particular training course or certification program
• Directing a modest project or activity within a group or company with success
• Improving performance in a certain area that was determined by self-evaluation
• Networking to increase prospects and interactions with experts in one’s sector
• Putting new tactics or methods that were gained through professional development programs into practice
• Improving leadership or communication abilities through focused practice and feedback.

What should I write for an individual development plan?

Writing an IDP will not only help you meet your areas of need for growth, It’ll help you get ready for the future. Hence, the following components are what you should consider while drafting one.

• Consider your present abilities, shortcomings, and interests. What are your strongest areas? In what ways would you like to improve? When evaluating yourself, be sincere and reflective.
• Make sure your goals are attainable, precise, and well-defined. these could be developing new abilities, progressing professionally, or strengthening personal traits. Ensure that your objectives are in line with your long-term dreams.
• Divide your goals into manageable chunks. Then, consider what actionable steps you’ll take to accomplish these objectives. Think about deadlines, resources required, and potential roadblocks.
• Find chances to grow and learn. This could mean enrolling in classes, going to workshops, looking for a mentor, or offering your time to several projects.
• Set up metrics to measure your success. How are you going to know if you’re getting nearer to your objectives? review your progress frequently, and make any necessary adjustments to your plan.

Read Also: Crafting an Effective Problem Statement for Business Improvement (With Examples)

What does a good IDP look like?

For an IDP to appear twice as good, there are certain things it should contain to make it worthwhile. Below are what makes a good IDP.

• Your plan should be clear enough to say what you intend to achieve in both the short and long term. Not just stating. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and have a set time to meet up with that goal.
• Your IDP should revolve around you and your capabilities, your dreams and aspirations. However, this shouldn’t be the same for everyone. It’s uniquely tailored for every individual.
• It should be subject to change if things do not go exactly as you envisaged.
• While we said earlier that an individual development plan should revolve around you, there are exceptional cases when if you’re working for a company and are asked to craft one, ensure to include how your growth can impart the company or business.
• Be reminded of your plan and have a way of checking to be sure you’re on track. Seek counsel from friends and those in your inner circle. Their truth will help you stay afloat.
• Your individual development plan should have motivating factors that keep your eyes fixed on the goal. An example of this could be gratifications for every milestone reached and something to make you accountable failure to do so.

Individual development examples

We’ll provide you with different IDPs for different scenarios. This is so you find one that is unique to your needs and flow with it.

Professional Skill Enhancement IDP

Goal: Get better at being a team lead in different capacities simply by improving on my project management skills.

Short-term goal (3 months): Enroll for an online project management foundational class.

Steps:

• Be on the lookout for a good online project management class
• Create time for classes for at least, 2 times a week
• Replicate the new things I learn from the online class at work

Method of evaluation: Keep a track record from when you started with the class and ask for honest feedbacks from your friends at how better you’re getting with project management.

Personal Growth IDP

Goal: Have a great work life balance and learn how to handle stress better

Short-term goal (3 months): Start up a mindfulness activity to focus better

Steps:

• Dedicate 10 minutes of your time every morning to engage in a relaxation exercise
• Determine when to stop working each day and stay away from gadgets while on having your you-time
• Create time every week for activities that help you calm your nerves. They could your hobbies or even exercises.

Method of evaluation: Keep track of how often you do your mindfulness exercise, think about how stressed you feel, and see if you feel better overall.

Technical Skill Development IDP

Goal: Become an expert using data analysis and visualization tools.

Short-term goal (4 months): Start and finish an advanced online class on using a special data analysis software.

Steps:

• Search for classes that provide the exact learning you are interested in.
• Spend 1-2 hours daily to learning and practicing
• Employ your knowledge on real-life projects

Method of evaluation: Seek to know your level of understanding by engaging in tests and be sure to practice what you learned in real-life examples.

See this: How to Practice Self-Accountability

Scorecard on individual development plan (Pdf.)

Once you have read up until this point, the scorecard questions will help you analyze your thoughts and come up with ideas on how to go about drafting your individual development plan. Find the scorecard questions in the file below.

FAQs

Conclusion

Being a useful tool for tracking performance, the IDP is an important part of leadership development. It provides individuals with a sense of worth and encouragement to keep growing. In the end, it’s a worthwhile investment in developing talents who can grow your business.

References

• Betterup.com – Your guide to individual development plans (with examples)
• Venngage.com – Individual Development Plan Examples & Templates
• Indeed.com – Individual Development Plan (With Template and Example)