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Use this guide to help you draft your personal development plan.
You will find it particularly helpful when preparing for your performance agreement meeting, as it is the main opportunity for identifying your development needs, primarily to support you to achieve business objectives, but also to assist with your career and personal development.
A personal development plan sets out the actions that you propose to take to learn and to develop yourself.
You are responsible for taking a proactive approach towards your own learning and development. This includes identifying your needs and preferred solution, and ensuring that any planned activity takes place. You can expect guidance, encouragement and help from your manager as required.
When drafting your personal development plan, be clear about:
- your development needs
- business outcomes
- the most appropriate development method
- action required
Your Development Needs
Express your development needs as learning objectives. The learning objective should answer three questions:
1. What Should You Be Able to Do?
Ensure any training needs you identify are precise. The more accurate you are at pinpointing your needs, the more relevant and helpful the training will be. So, avoid using generic terms such as ‘time management’ or ‘management development’. To help you do this, identify the difference between your current skills, knowledge, experience, behavior, and the specific areas you would like to develop. This is called ‘the training gap’.Your learning objectives should specify the end result, rather than the process used to achieve it. To help you do this:
- Specify the outcome in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will be displayed after the learning event. These should be observable or testable, so think about how the learning will be evaluated.
- Use specific wording and action verbs, e.g. solve; construct; measure; identify; write; design; assemble; repair; describe; differentiate; recognize; apply; use; utilize; give; receive; intervene; plan; start; structure; control.
2. Under What Conditions?
The most helpful behavioral objectives also describe the conditions under which that behavior is expected to occur, for example ‘to be able to process telephone customer orders for all off-the-shelf goods’.
3. How Well Must It Be Done?
What is the standard to be reached? This could address issues of safety, quality, accuracy, time, etc. For instance:
- not less than 40 words a minute
- within 7 minutes
- without causing spillage or further hazard
- to an accuracy of +0.001cm
Sometimes the verb and standard can be the same word. It can be difficult to immediately articulate your training need precisely using the above framework. Do not worry if this is the case. Your manager will help you with this. It may be that together you tentatively identify an area that may require development. You will probably need time to reflect on your needs, and research development options, before you can fine-tune your needs exactly.
Business Outcomes
What are you hoping to achieve? What impact will the learning outcome have on the business, or you personally? Clarity at the outset will provide a more accurate focus for deciding the most effective solution. It will also help you to review the effectiveness of the development after the event. Of course, there are other practicalities that will influence your selection, such as time available, location and cost. Be ready to discuss a range of development options with your manager, and be open to other suggestions you might not have been aware of.
Action Required
At the end of your meeting, ensure you reach an agreement and be clear who is going to do what. Agree a deadline, and be clear about your joint expectations.
Reviewing Your Development
You will need to schedule in time with your manager to plan and review your forthcoming development, as set out in your new development plan, at regular intervals. You should also be prepared to review previous training to identify development and/or further support that may be required.
