The Development Planning Process

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT IS NOT A ONE-PERSON JOB

THE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS

A general 8-step competency development planning process, applicable in any organization, is outlined below, followed by a description of what should happen in each step. Organizations or work units can modify this competency development process to accommodate specific requirements regarding formal meetings and procedures and required documents.

The eight steps are as follows:

1. Individual Preparation
2. Initial Planning Meeting
3. Preparation of a Draft Development Plan
4. Review and Modification of the Draft Development Plan
5. Signing and Filing the Development Plan
6. Implementing the Competency Development Plan
7. Periodic Progress Review Meetings
8. Preparation of New Development Plans

1. INDIVIDUAL PREPARATION

The employee prepares for the initial development planning meeting by:

• Reviewing all available information about the job description, job responsibilities, and competencies required for the job.
• Assessing his/her performance and identifying areas for improvement, in the job responsibilities or specific job tasks.
• Preparing specific, measurable job goals for the next 6-12 months such as:

“Develop and implement ways to reduce order preparation time from 24 hours to 4 hours.”

“Develop and provide safety training to unit employees.”

• Thinking about the next desired job and the competencies required for this job.
• Reviewing the competencies and thinking about ones to target for development.

The employee’s manager prepares by:

• Reviewing all available information about the job description, job responsibilities, and competencies required for the job.
• Assessing the employee’s performance and identifying areas for improvement, in the job responsibilities or specific job tasks.
• Thinking about possible job goals for this employee for the next 6-12 months.
• Thinking about the next possible job for this employee and the competencies required for this job.
• Reviewing the competencies and thinking about ones for this employee to target for development.

2. INITIAL PLANNING MEETING

At an initial development planning meeting, the employee and manager should:

• Discuss and, if necessary, clarify the main job responsibilities and the performance outcome measures for these responsibilities.
• Discuss how well these responsibilities are being carried out; identify areas
  for improvement.
• Agree on specific job or business goals for the next 6-12 months.
• If appropriate, discuss career development and the next possible job for this employee.
• Review the competencies for the job.
• Discuss which competencies are needed to improve performance and achieve the job or business goals.
• Select three competencies for the employee to target for development over next year and 1 competency to focus on for first 3-4 months.
• Review the Resource Guide to develop ideas for developing these competencies.
• Set a date within two weeks to review the draft development plan to be prepared by the employee.
• Set a date to review progress in about 3 months.

3. PREPARATION OF A DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The employee drafts separate lists of 6-15 goals for developing each competency. It is most effective to focus on the goals for one competency at a time.

4. REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF THE DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The manager reviews the draft development plan and may suggest revisions. The employee then prepares a revised development plan.

5. SIGNING AND FILING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The employee and manager both sign the development plan. Each retains a copy, and a third copy may be filed with the organization’s human resources department.

6. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN

The employee implements the plan, by:

• Setting aside 3-6 hours per week for development activities
• Carrying out the planned activities
• Keeping a weekly log of activities and results
• Seeking assistance and resources from the manager and others, as needed

7. PERIODIC PROGRESS REVIEW MEETING

The employee and manager meet every 3-4 months to review progress and discuss any revisions needed in the development plan.

8. PREPARATION OF NEW DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Once a year, the employee and manager start the process again, beginning at Step 1. The employee should target new competencies for development, if:

• Previously targeted competencies have been developed
• New job responsibilities or goals require development of additional competencies
• The employee is preparing for a job requiring new competencies

The contents of this post are from Workitect’s Competency Development Guide. The Guide is the 6^th edition of a 280-page handbook containing tips and resources for the development of 35 competencies. The Guide is available for individual purchase in print or PDF versions, $60 per copy. It is also available on Amazon in a Kindle version.

AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSE ENABLES AN ORGANIZATION TO CUSTOMIZE THE GUIDE AND PROVIDE EACH EMPOLYEE WITH A COPY. THE WORKITECT COMPETENCY DICTIONARY IS INCLUDED. COMPETENCY INTERVIEW GUIDES CAN ALSO BE INCLUDED. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE “BUNDLE”.

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