individual development plans 2009

Individual Development Individual Development Plans:Plans:

How to Fix an Underachieving Best How to Fix an Underachieving Best PracticePractice

Dawn G. Lennon, principalDawn G. Lennon, principalBig Picture ConsultingBig Picture Consulting

SHRM LV Conference—2009SHRM LV Conference—2009

2c. 2009 Big Picture Consulting

PropositionProposition

HR needs to:HR needs to:

Lead a culture of growth Lead a culture of growth

owned by employees and supported by owned by employees and supported by the organizationthe organization

Reality: If employees don’t develop, Reality: If employees don’t develop, they compromise reward and they compromise reward and advancementadvancement


The Value of IDPsThe Value of IDPs

Develop employee capabilitiesDevelop employee capabilities

Position employees for advancementPosition employees for advancement

Develop a “bench” for vacanciesDevelop a “bench” for vacancies

Enable competitivenessEnable competitiveness

Attract and retain employeesAttract and retain employees


IDPsIDPsWhat’s the Problem?-- Part 1What’s the Problem?-- Part 1

Org. doesn’t forecast or communicate Org. doesn’t forecast or communicate needsneeds

Supervisors:Supervisors: unable to assess employee capabilitiesunable to assess employee capabilities don’t anticipate openingsdon’t anticipate openings often block movementoften block movement have few resources to investhave few resources to invest assume employee development is their jobassume employee development is their job


IDPsIDPsWhat’s the Problem?-- Part 2What’s the Problem?-- Part 2

IDPs are often annual performance goal IDPs are often annual performance goal itemsitems

Employees:Employees: want the organization to direct themwant the organization to direct them expect supervisors to provide opportunitiesexpect supervisors to provide opportunities expect the organization to pay or release expect the organization to pay or release

timetime expect the promise of some career rewardexpect the promise of some career reward don’t understand their role or obligationsdon’t understand their role or obligations don’t own their own growthdon’t own their own growth


How It Works Now?How It Works Now?

Supervisor asks:Supervisor asks: What’s your individual development plan?What’s your individual development plan?

Employees says: “Training”Employees says: “Training” Supervisors says: “There’s no money for Supervisors says: “There’s no money for

training?training? Employee thinks: “Now what”Employee thinks: “Now what” Supervisors says: “What are your career Supervisors says: “What are your career

interests?”interests?” Employee looks at the supervisor as if Employee looks at the supervisor as if

he/she has 4 headshe/she has 4 heads


The ResultThe Result

No one’s invested in No one’s invested in IDPs IDPs

No perceived pay offNo perceived pay off No affect on No affect on

appraisalappraisal Supervisors blow it Supervisors blow it

offoff Employees feel Employees feel

cheatedcheated Little growth is Little growth is

achievedachieved


The Problem:The Problem:Individual development is Individual development is

misunderstood.misunderstood.Is NotIs Not

A pre-determined A pre-determined pathpath

A list of courses A list of courses takentaken

Attendance at Attendance at conferencesconferences

A gift from the org.A gift from the org. EntitlementEntitlement

IsIs About adding About adding

capabilitiescapabilities Being successful in Being successful in

your jobyour job Focusing on Focusing on

improvementimprovement Investing time and Investing time and

energyenergy YouYou


Refocusing IDPRefocusing IDP Target individual development on Target individual development on

success factors—individual and success factors—individual and businessbusiness


Make It RelevantMake It Relevant

Individual development gets you to Individual development gets you to be fully capable of: be fully capable of:

getting the job done getting the job done

meeting unforeseen expectationsmeeting unforeseen expectations

holding steady under fireholding steady under fire


Drive IDP in a Fresh WayDrive IDP in a Fresh Way

Decouple IDP from old waysDecouple IDP from old ways

Give it a new brand—a fresh metaphorGive it a new brand—a fresh metaphor

Talk about the impact of employee Talk about the impact of employee skills on business performanceskills on business performance

Align advancement/reward with Align advancement/reward with capabilitiescapabilities


Business Fitness: Business Fitness: A Metaphor to Drive Self-A Metaphor to Drive Self-

DevelopmentDevelopment

Stay WellStay Well

Stay FocusedStay Focused


Business Fitness: Business Fitness:

A Metaphor to Drive Self-A Metaphor to Drive Self-DevelopmentDevelopment

Stay CurrentStay Current

Stay Stay ConnectedConnected




Attract a Attract a FollowingFollowing

Take the LeadTake the Lead




Implement New Implement New IdeasIdeas

Worthwhile IDPs Worthwhile IDPs attach growth attach growth efforts with work efforts with work results.results.


Put the Employee in ChargePut the Employee in Charge

Communicate that employee success Communicate that employee success is a function of the:is a function of the:

Quality of their workQuality of their work Their choicesTheir choices The way they conduct themselvesThe way they conduct themselves Their skills, knowledge, and experienceTheir skills, knowledge, and experience Their motivation, energy, and Their motivation, energy, and

commitmentcommitment


Ground IDPsGround IDPs

Give supervisors the right questions to Give supervisors the right questions to ask, likeask, like How effective/successful are you in your job?How effective/successful are you in your job? What can you do to become more What can you do to become more

effective/successful?effective/successful?

Require the submission of an ID Require the submission of an ID planplan each yeareach year

Put responsibility for growth on the Put responsibility for growth on the employee; hold them accountableemployee; hold them accountable


Provide SupportProvide Support

Help employees clarify their success Help employees clarify their success aspirationsaspirations

Spell out the resources available to them Spell out the resources available to them Have supervisors talk about what it takes to Have supervisors talk about what it takes to

succeedsucceed

Recognize individual growth initiativesRecognize individual growth initiatives

Set up experience-sharing among employeesSet up experience-sharing among employees


A Return to IntentA Return to Intent To be successful, the IDP needs to be:To be successful, the IDP needs to be:

IndividualIndividual—for the individual; by the —for the individual; by the individual (with support from the individual (with support from the organization)organization)

DevelopmentDevelopment—focused on building —focused on building capabilities to meet success requirements capabilities to meet success requirements

PlanPlan—an employee driven, ongoing process —an employee driven, ongoing process based on actions and accountabilitiesbased on actions and accountabilities

individual development plans 2009

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