Personal Development Plans

4. Developing

4.1 Many PDP objectives can be achieved through learning in the workplace.

• Assign a suitably skilled manager or colleague to provide guidance to the employee, as requested.
• Delegate additional tasks (and authority) to the employee, expressly to develop new skills. Or second the employee to a different department.

4.2 More formal training can help to develop specific knowledge and skills.

• Objectives that are common to many employees, or that demand special expertise, are often suited to formal training.

4.3 Self-directed development can be the most powerful way of ensuring employee 'buy-in'.

For example:

• An employee with an 'attitude problem' may resolve it independently if you bring it to his or her attention. The issue can then be monitored as part of the PDP reviews.
• More senior or expert employees may be highly motivated by achieving development objectives independently.