Individual development planning is a personalized method for employees to identify their strengths and weaknesses and create a plan for growth. The plan is discussed with the supervisor to align with company objectives and find opportunities for development.
Individual development planning is a method used by workers to establish their own particular desires for improvement and growth in the coming periods. In most cases, an employee writes an individual development plan (IDP) that outlines what their most important improvement points are for the next period, usually a year. The worker will meet with his boss to discuss his individual development planning strategy, see how his goals coincide with corporate plans, and find out how the company can best help him.
The key word in individual development planning is “individual”. Each worker defines his own IDP based on what he feels are his own strengths and weaknesses. The goal of individual development planning is to improve weaknesses while strengthening strengths. This is a delicate balance, so the IDP is likely to have at least one person above what the writer vetted prior to implementation. Even if supervised, the worker should try to make the plan as specific as possible; using an IDP as a method if ungratefulness often stunts the writer’s overall growth.
When discussing an IDP, a supervisor is likely to encounter three main points. The most important point is the growth of the worker. This not only makes the individual a more complete employee, it also makes him more valuable to the company as a whole. By improving the worker’s strengths, that person is more capable in a wide range of situations. This provides departmental coverage in the widest area with the fewest headcount.
The next common thread in an individual development planning meeting is a discussion of the company’s objectives. While personal growth is great, it does little for a company if it’s in an area that doesn’t benefit the company. This step of the meeting allows the employee and supervisor to discuss how the employee’s growth can be more effectively channeled to the company.
The last main component of an individual development planning strategy meeting takes the information from the last two phases and brings it into the practical world. In this phase, the boss and the worker look at the next situations where the company can help the worker along with the IDP. For example, a worker might want to work on leadership and planning skills. The boss would look for future projects where the worker could be an assistant to a qualified team leader. The year may culminate with the worker being given their own project to oversee.
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