Individual development plans (IDPs) are often misunderstood and not effectively implemented. They are viewed as a list of training courses rather than a plan for developing capabilities needed for success. This leads to a lack of investment and perceived payoff. The document recommends reframing IDPs around developing skills needed for job success and tying them to career advancement. It suggests using a "business fitness" metaphor and making employees responsible for driving their own growth through relevant, accountable plans supported by supervisors.

1. Individual Development Plans: How to Fix an Underachieving Best Practice Dawn G. Lennon, principal Big Picture Consulting SHRM LV Conference—2009

2. Proposition HR needs to: Lead a culture of growth owned by employees and supported by the organization Reality: If employees don’t develop, they compromise reward and advancement

3. The Value of IDPs Develop employee capabilities Position employees for advancement Develop a “bench” for vacancies Enable competitiveness Attract and retain employees

4. IDPs What’s the Problem?-- Part 1 Org. doesn’t forecast or communicate needs Supervisors: unable to assess employee capabilities don’t anticipate openings often block movement have few resources to invest assume employee development is their job

5. IDPs What’s the Problem?-- Part 2 IDPs are often annual performance goal items Employees: want the organization to direct them expect supervisors to provide opportunities expect the organization to pay or release time expect the promise of some career reward don’t understand their role or obligations don’t own their own growth

6. How It Works Now? Supervisor asks: What’s your individual development plan? Employees says: “Training” Supervisors says: “There’s no money for training? Employee thinks: “Now what” Supervisors says: “What are your career interests?” Employee looks at the supervisor as if he/she has 4 heads

7. The Result No one’s invested in IDPs No perceived pay off No affect on appraisal Supervisors blow it off Employees feel cheated Little growth is achieved

8. The Problem: Individual development is misunderstood. Is Not A pre-determined path A list of courses taken Attendance at conferences A gift from the org. Entitlement Is About adding capabilities Being successful in your job Focusing on improvement Investing time and energy You

9. Refocusing IDP Target individual development on success factors—individual and business

10. Make It Relevant Individual development gets you to be fully capable of: getting the job done meeting unforeseen expectations holding steady under fire

11. Drive IDP in a Fresh Way Decouple IDP from old ways Give it a new brand—a fresh metaphor Talk about the impact of employee skills on business performance Align advancement/reward with capabilities

12. Business Fitness: A Metaphor to Drive Self-Development Stay Well Stay Focused

13. Business Fitness: A Metaphor to Drive Self-Development Stay Current Stay Connected

14. Business Fitness: A Metaphor to Drive Self-Development Attract a Following Take the Lead

15. Business Fitness: A Metaphor to Drive Self-Development Implement New Ideas Worthwhile IDPs attach growth efforts with work results.

16. Put the Employee in Charge Communicate that employee success is a function of the: Quality of their work Their choices The way they conduct themselves Their skills, knowledge, and experience Their motivation, energy, and commitment

17. Ground IDPs Give supervisors the right questions to ask, like How effective/successful are you in your job? What can you do to become more effective/successful? Require the submission of an ID plan each year Put responsibility for growth on the employee; hold them accountable

18. Provide Support Help employees clarify their success aspirations Spell out the resources available to them Have supervisors talk about what it takes to succeed Recognize individual growth initiatives Set up experience-sharing among employees

19. A Return to Intent To be successful, the IDP needs to be: Individual —for the individual; by the individual (with support from the organization) Development —focused on building capabilities to meet success requirements Plan —an employee driven, ongoing process based on actions and accountabilities