Your Individual Development Plan

Where do you want to be in 5 years?

An IDP is a sort of agreement between an employee and their employer to work towards a set of goals together.

There’s no requirement that your develop an IDP in the context of a business, though. Anyone can put together an IDP that helps them work towards their personal goals.

Here’s what you need to do:

Take inventory:

focus on developing your strengths — not compensating for your weaknesses.

Write a mission statement (optional):

Do research:

identify the places

that offer what you need.

Develop two plans:

Figure out an assessment standard:

Reassess periodically:

Commit and take action:

commit to taking the first steps immediately.

consider how each of the following could fit:

Courses and workshops:

Reading:

Networking:

Mentoring:

Ride-alongs/shadowing:

Outreach:

Reassignment/move to a new job:

The main point is to figure out what actions you could be taking and would like to take but aren’t.