An Effective Idp Can Be Developed By Considering Following Questions: Essay Example

Individual Development Plans

Abstract
The objective of this paper is to discuss importance of Individual Development Plans for individuals and for organizations. The paper discusses how employees can create effective IDPs by considering their strengths, short-term and long-term goals and changing organizational needs. IDPs play a major role in development of new skills in employees. Organizations also ensure mutual development by developing and evaluating IDPs. The paper also discusses how organizations can efficiently evaluate IDPs and measure changes in performance occurred due to acquisition of new skill & knowledge.
Individual Development Plans
Individual development plan is an effective tool that helps employee or individual in acquiring new skills, and achieving official as well as personal career goals. IDPs are effective for both individuals and for organizations. Organizations can use IDPs for development and motivation of their employees. Individual uses IDPs to describe and achieve short-term and long-term career development goals. Managers in different organizations can use IDPs to fulfill training and development related needs of employees. IDPs allow employees to enrich their job related skills and to become more efficient and productive. This paper discusses importance of individual development plans, and how managers or individuals can create and evaluate IDPs effectively.
Every individual wants to develop an effective IDP that helps in achieving their career goals, but the question is how. Individuals often get confused on the point that whether they should address their weaknesses or leverage on strengths while developing IDP. Buckingham and Coffman (2014) in their book “First break all the rules” mentioned that why IDPs get ineffective. According to the authors, Majority of IDPs get failed because IDPs emphasize on improving weaknesses of employees while neglecting strengths(Buckingham and Coffman, 1999).
It is not possible for one individual to master in all subjects and gain competencies in all areas. For example, it is not necessary that a person with good analytical brain and strategic thinking also has good communication skill. It is not necessary that a person who is good in data analysis & planning can also perform well in sales. Every individual has his own areas of strengths, and training programs can only polish or enhance knowledge of individual on those specific skills. Training programs cannot rewire individuals’ brain to convert weakness into a strength(McCarthy, 2008). Therefore, it is important to address strengths while developing IDPs.

What are individual’s career goals in next one to five years?
What is organizational development plans and what organization will need from its people in coming years?
What are individual’s major strengths and how individual can further enhance them?
What are individual’s major weaknesses that can prevent individual from achieving career goals?
Individuals should identify opportunities that can help them on building their strengths while serving requirements of organization and achieving their career goals. For example, an employee can attend a course or training program on new software such ERP and SAP that his/her organization is planning to implement. Employees can select training programs depending upon their strengths such as leadership, time management, negotiation skill, team building, effective communication etc. An effective IDP describes short-term and long-term goals in clear manner; action plan and strategies that will be required by the individual to achieve those goals; and competencies that individual wants to develop and resources required to achieve the goals(Partridge, 1995).
Evaluation of Individual Development Plans is equally important as its creation. Evaluation informs about the goals achieved by the employee and new skills developed by the employee. Evaluation of IDPs informs manager about the training programs and learning courses attended by the employees in order to enhance and develop new skills and gain knowledge.
In various organizations, IDPs are generally plans on the papers. In some cases employees do not get time to attend training programs, and in other cases employees do not get opportunity to implement their new skill/ knowledge. Evaluation of IDPs by managers helps in understanding the actual situation and development of the employee. In organizational settings, evaluation of IDPs should be performed by the supervisor or reporting manager. Manager analyzes how many goals and new skills are achieved by the employee in specific time period as mentioned in IDP(Smith, 2011). Evaluation should also analyze challenges faced by the employee in achieving goals. Evaluation of IDPs should be quantitative and measurable. For example, employee achieved 3 goals out of five goals and completed 4 training programs. Evaluation should also include measurement of enhancement in performance of employee. For example, a training program on international recruitment helped employee in hiring of 3 international employees.
Effective creation and evaluation of Individual development plans are very important for employee and for the organization. It allows employees to develop their knowledge and skills and use that knowledge in achieving organizational goals, vision and mission. IDPs are important for career development of the employees because it help them in identifying and acquiring new skills. Individuals along with their managers identify skills that will help individual as well as organization in meeting their goals. New skills acquired by the employees help them in getting promotion, rewards, and better opportunities outside the organization. IDPs help organization because they motivate employees to work harder towards achieving organizational goals and in leveraging their strengths for organizational growth. Effective development of IDPs send a message that organization cares for its employees and want to support their career growth. Therefore, development and evaluation of IDPs helps both organization and employees.

References

Buckingham, M. and Coffman, C. (1999). First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently. USA: Gallup Press.
McCarthy, D. (2008, Nov. 24). How to Write a Great Individual Development Plan (IDP). Retrieved from Great leadership by dan: http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2008/11/how-to-write-great-individual.html
Partridge, L. (1995). Motivation and Skills Development. USA: Select Knowledge Limited.
Smith, J. (2011). Personal Development Planning - What You Need to Know: Definitions, Best Practices, Benefits and Practical Solutions. USA: Emereo Pty Limited.