When you sit down with your employee to make an individual development plan, don’t treat your dialogue like a performance review. Don't insist on all your ideas either. It should be about him or her, so don’t talk about yourself, and always clarify vague statements about what you can offer to him or her. An individual development plan should serve as a catalyst for ongoing discussions between you and the employee. It is a framework for personal development on the job, claims the management.about.com website.
How to manage a development plan discussion
Before you add any comments, always ask yourself whether it is really worth it. In the case of additional feedback, don't be afraid to provide as much clarification as you can. Be encouraging and provide additional development ideas. Open doors and offer to make connections that will help your subordinate learn and get cooperation from other members of your organization.
Recognize and reinforce the employee's strengths. These can be leveraged to address the actual development needs.
Development actions you can offer
- Move to a new job.
- Assign a challenging task connected to the current position.
- Provide role models, be it your own boss, coach or subject matter expert.
- Additional education and courses.
Follow up is necessary
When you have agreed on goals and plans, decide when the goals should be achieved and the plans completed. Set up some kind of follow-up. The best way to keep on track is to meet regularly to check how things are going. Keep your commitments, and support your employee all the way through.
The implementation is his work, but you should be there, prepared to offer any necessary help. It is a good idea to write the final plan down and sign it. Two copies, one for each of you. That creates a sense of commitment, even though it is really just a symbolic gesture.
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