What is an Individual Development Plan?

What is an individual development plan? It is a document created by you, then discussed with your immediate supervisor/manager throughout the year.

The ideal plan leverages your strengths/talents to provide new skills/knowledge that will help you perform better. Focus on weak areas if they will keep you from being successful in achieving your goals.

A good Development Plan can help in the following ways:

• Increase and/or expand skills and knowledge.

• Keep skills current.

• Reach your potential.

• Support the achievement of career goals.

• Leverage strengths.

• Address gaps in knowledge or skills needed in the job.

• Improve performance.

• Develop holistically through on-the-job development, self learning, and training.

• Provides alignment and support going forward with your supervisor/manager.

For more on Individual Development Plans, check out my next blog on Key questions to ask yourself as you decide what to focus on in your Development Plan.