Guidelines For Personal Development Action Plan People typically think about Development as fixingimproving problem areas or overcoming weaknesses. Development is not only about working on weaknesses; it also is about building strengthscapitalizing on what you do well, and getting even better at it so that you can become a star contributor to your organization. If we have a company of people working on weaknesses and nobody is working on strengths, we could end up with a company full of mediocre people! To be competitive, organizations need people who are also working on strengths, becoming even better in areas that make an important contribution to organizational goals. As you think about Development Areas, be sure to consider your strengths. Because of your specific career goals, there may be a higher payoff to working on a specific strength. The issue is: Where can you and your future/current organization get the biggest payoff from your efforts?
Here are the steps to follow:
1. Set aside time to read and think about the questions listed below. Your objective is to consider all of the feedback you received from the assessments and then decide on 2-3 competencies that are priority areas for building your interpersonal and managerial skills over the next two years.
2. Take out a separate sheet of paper for notes and record your answers to the questions listed below. You do not have to answer every question; these are helpful questions to guide your thinking about priority areas to develop.
3. Consider this general question when selecting priority Development Areas.
Would working on these areas support my current and future career goals, my performance goals at work, and/or my effectiveness at personally influencing others? Could working on these areas improve my ability to manage corporate change, working with others, or meet personal/family needs?
A. Strengths: Which competencies were evaluated as strengths? Is this an important competency you need to model for others? Is it an area you want to improve in order to gain recognition and support? If you were to focus on this strength and improve it, would it enhance your current or future success and influence?
B. Liabilities or weaknesses: What competencies were rated lowest? Are there problem areas where improvement is needed? Would working on these problem areas improve your current or future job performance? What is the biggest roadblock to your career success based on your assessments? What can happen if you dont take action on your weaknesses? What are the areas you need to focus on to improve your ability to manage change, work with others, and influence others? Do you really want to improve? Do you really believe that you need to improve these areas? Are you motivated to change?
C. Gaps: GAPS represent the extent to which you and your feedback sources agree about the frequency you engage in certain management behaviors. (Ignore any type of GAP analysis if you did not obtain feedback from others.) The smaller the
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GAP, the greater the agreement. Conversely, the greater the GAP, the greater the disagreement. Positive GAPS indicate that your sources believe that you display the behavior/skill/trait more frequently than you indicated in your self ratings. Positive GAPs can represent a strength you do not recognize but others do. In contrast, negative GAPS reveal that you believe you engage in a behavior/skill/trait more frequently than do your feedback sources. If you obtained any type of evaluations from others, note any significant positive or negative GAPS. Are others sending you a message? Which positive and negative GAPS are most important in terms of achieving your current/future career goals? What areas do you believe represent a problem?
Note: A gap is not necessarily a problem and you may need clarification from your feedback sources. For example, if your feedback sources said that you do not frequently engage in a particular behavior, and you believe that you are exhibiting this behavior frequently, the gap may not be a problem because others dont want or need more of that particular action from you. The gap can simply be a difference of perception. Your consultation with the feedback source should clarify the cause of the gap. All told, a gap becomes a problem when it is hindering your career success or the achievement of your organizations goals.
4. You are now ready to select 2-3 competencies/styles/behaviors for development. Do not select until you reconsider the general question that was posed earlier: Would working on these areas support my current and future career goals, my performance goals at work, and/or my effectiveness at personally influencing others? Could working on these areas improve my ability to manage corporate change, working with others, or meet personal/family needs?
5. Write the label or description of the competency/style/behavior in the space provided on the development plan. Add any additional notes or explanation as needed
6. Complete the remainder of the development plan. It is recommended that you obtain input/feedback about your plan before submitting it for final evaluation. You are encouraged to meet with one or more members of your team to share results and ideas and to reflect on how to enhance your development. Doing this will help all involved to practice their coaching skills. Remember, coaching is a key component of managerial leadership and practice makes perfect.
Your Personal Development Plan should be about 2-3 pages in length. Below you will find a worksheet that might be helpful as you brainstorm your plan of action. The final assignment should be written in APA style but you may include a table for actions as you see fit.
