Individual development plan example for government employees

Get Your Toolkit Now

As a federal government employee, your Individual Development Plan (IDP) is an important tool to help you develop new skills and obtain goals to advance your career. This new toolkit includes five resources to help you understand and create your IDP, including:

Table of Contents Show

Get Your Toolkit Now
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) – The Key to A Successful Career
About The Author
What should I put on my individual development plan?
How do you write an individual development plan example?
What is an IDP in federal government?
What are examples of development plans for employees?
What is personal development plan with example?

A breakdown of different components you may encounter when completing your IDP.
A checklist with major steps you'll need to take in the IDP process.
Information on the NextGen Leadership Program.

A Structured Approach Training and Development

What is an Individual Development Plan?

A formal document that specifies an individual’s development goals and how they are to be accomplished (including resources, time, importance)
A negotiated plan designed to meet an organization’s overall mission goals and objectives and close competency gaps in a structured way.
A “living document” subject to change as work schedules, goals, and even budgets shift.
A “non-binding” agreement between supervisor and employee, used solely to help them agree on training plans over a specific period of time (normally one year).

When do we use IDPs?

To identify and assess future developmental needs or competency areas.
To provide structured learning experiences linked to an organization’s goals and objectives.
To establish agreed-upon developmental activities for the employee’s career development.
To promote formal career development.
To structure a means by which to fill employee organizational competency gaps.

How do we use IDPs?

First, assess the individual’s current skills and strengths.
Compare the assessment with individual’s abilities and current competencies required.
Identify developmental opportunities.
Draft a proposed plan.
Employee and supervisor meet informally to discuss modifications.
Employee or supervisor reviews and finalizes the document.

Note: Regular update sessions are a good idea, but not required. Normally, employee and supervisor reconvene after a period of one year, unless a major change to the document is required. An IDP is a living document that changes based on upcoming needs.

Both employee and supervisor rely on the IDP as a roadmap to success.
At the end of the performance year, or at another agreed-upon time, both the supervisor and employee meet to review the IDP to determine successes and areas for improvement. These adjustments are then incorporated into the next (new) IDP for the coming year.

How to use an IDP to achieve success!

Managers who promote IDPs are telling their employees that each person’s development is an organizational priority.
Supervisors need to allow employees to attend their planned training—missed training is a major reason for failure of an IDP.
Supervisors can use IDPs as motivators, to focus the approach to training and development rather than a random, ad-hoc approach.
An IDP can serve as a retention tool.

Do IDPs work?

Enable a structured approach to training.
Help the organization to focus an office’s training goals.
Maximize an organization’s budget by using an organized and planned approach to training.

LINKS:

For more information on IDPs, visit:

IDP sample (blank)
IDP sample 2 (filled)
DOC IDP Manual
GovLeaders.org
https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/individual-development-plan-idp
http://www.usuhs.mil/chr/idp.pdf

Attachment	Size
IDP sample (blank)	136 KB
IDP sample 2 (filled)	138.5 KB
DOC IDP Manual	226.15 KB

Individual Development Plans (IDPs) – The Key to A Successful Career

Individual Development Plans (or IDPs) are a critical piece of an employee’s career path. They are extremely beneficial in that they serve as a roadmap for career progression. Many organizations, to include the Federal Government, are making these a mandatory part of an employee’s overall performance plan. IDPs house anticipated training opportunities, goals, objectives and more; a personal career platform, employees have the ability to make it a sound projection. In addition, IDPs allow supervisors and managers to determine career expectations and provide supporting mentoring and/or coaching advice, as needed. IDPs are considered a partnership between the organization, the manager and the employee; expectations are provided, in writing, and goals and objectives are discussed and understood. Finally, IDPs candidly provide a strength and weakness assessment for individuals that are perhaps unsure of their career path and progression; they can then easily use the IDP to stay on track, develop and enhance skills, or acquire new ones.

Supervisors should encourage employees to develop IDPs, which leads to a thorough understanding of goals, needs, weaknesses, strengths, etc. It fosters motivation and encourages employees to take ownership and accountability of their careers. IDPs also serve as a talking point for managers and employees when reviewing skills, knowledge and abilities needed in order to perform particular work roles. Benefits of IDPs, overall, are vast; they enable identification and tracking of needs, goals, abilities and plans; they assist in the development of an organization’s training and manpower requirements; and they serve as the pillar in which an organization’s mission, goals and objectives are performed.

Managers and team leads, etc., can assess their skills and resources needed to perform particular tasks, missions and goals. The IDP serves many purposes as a resource tool; it can be used for hiring justifications to showcase the need for particular skills within the organization; it can be used for performance discussions with the employee; and it can serve as documentation in capturing milestones, achievements and benefits for both the employee and the organization.

Even though IDPs are not necessarily mandatory in all organizations, they are a critical and worthwhile tool for employees. Managers must do their due diligence with encouraging employees to take part in the opportunity; the value must be conveyed in addition to the myriad of opportunities for the employee.

IDPs don’t have to be formal; they can simply be crafted on a blank sheet of paper or email and discussed with the employee and their supervisor; the IDP, however, should serve as a living document so that employees can update as organizational goals and personal needs, change. At the minimum, an employee’s name, org, title and paygrade should be included along with short term and long term career goals. Dates should be included as milestone points throughout the IDP and linked to organizational objectives. Inclusion of training and personal development opportunities to include conferences, seminars, coursework, assignments, etc., are key; this roadmap should then be signed and dated by employee and supervisor. A complete set IDP planning forms and self assessment worksheets are available online that you can use in conjunction with any required employer program.

The IDP is your friend, it is a resource tool, a guideline and an opportunity for professional growth and development. For more information and assistance with taking part in an IDP process, visit www.fedcareerinfo.com. This site offers handouts, free downloadable forms and worksheets, IDP workbooks, presentations and personal discussion opportunities.

IDP & Career Planning Tools

Federal Employee’s Career Development Center
IDP Checklist (Career Planning Checklist)
IDP Forms & Self Assessment Worksheets (Free downloadable forms)
Take Charge of Your Federal Career – IDP Workbook

References:

FedCareerInfo.com. (2017). Complete an IDP
OPM.gov. (2017). Individual development plans

The information provided may not cover all aspects of unique or special circumstances, federal and postal regulations, and programs are subject to change. Our articles and replies are time sensitive. Over time, various dynamic human resource guidance and factors relied upon as a basis for this article may change. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation and this service is not affiliated with OPM, the postal service or any federal entity. You should consult with school counselors, hiring agency personnel offices, and human resource professionals where appropriate. Neither the publisher or author shall be liable for any loss or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

About The Author

Dr. Donna Day is a Manager at the Department of Defense, where she has been for more than 30 years. With a background in Information Assurance, Customer Engagement and Marketing, more recently she has been studying Cyber security Policy and Management at the University of Maryland, University College (UMUC). She earned her Doctor of Management, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Science Degree in Technology Management at UMUC and received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing at the University of Baltimore. Dr. Day is also an Adjunct Professor at Norwich University in Vermont, where she teaches Cyber security, Critical Infrastructure and Information Assurance courses to a myriad of students, worldwide, from across the intelligence community. A published author, Baltimore Ravens fan, and life-long learner, she enjoys writing, traveling, cooking, and most importantly, spending time with her family and friends.

What should I put on my individual development plan?

How to write an individual development plan.

Determine your professional goals. ... .

Define your strengths. ... .

Outline your objectives. ... .

Implement your plan. ... .

Continue setting goals. ... .

Determine your current abilities. ... .

Consider which learning opportunities are available to you..

How do you write an individual development plan example?

Development plan templates.

Employee name:.

Position, function, location and title:.

Development focus area:.

List professional goals and aspirations:.

List strengths and talents:.

List key development needs:.

List development opportunities:.

What is an IDP in federal government?

The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a valuable performance enhancement tool for all federal employees. The IDP can assist those who want to enhance their skills and strengths, learn more about issues relevant to the performance of the agency, and grow personally and professionally.

What are examples of development plans for employees?

What is an employee development plan?.

Land an internship in a sales department..

Work on verbal and written communication skills..

Receive various sales certifications..

Become a junior salesperson..

Increase sales numbers each year..

Receive management certifications..

Apply for sales manager positions..

What is personal development plan with example?

A PDP is a form of self-evaluation and self-reflection that is typically used in higher education and the workplace. However, it can also be a beneficial exercise in your personal life. For example, you may want to learn a new language before travelling overseas, and a PDP can help you achieve this goal.