Personal Development Plan Example: Incredible Ideas

I’ve got you more than one personal development plan example in this article. 

Does that excite you? Yes, it should.

In the end, you will be able to design a personal development plan like a pro.

Both short and long term goals can guide your decisions throughout your career.

But, without a personal development plan, reaching those goals will be unobtainable.

You can’t even have a personal development plan without knowing how to design one!

Well, let’s get to work!

Below are six core steps in this personal development plan example

They will help you pick up actions and measure your progress.

Step 1: Scribble a list of the best ten most important goals you desire to achieve

Step 2: Jot down which of these critical goals are the most important to you  

Step 3: Pen down a precise timeline for obtaining your goal 

Step 4: Jot down your weaknesses and strengths 

Note: Pay attention to at least three of each.

Pin down how the strength you possess can help achieve these goals.

And pin down what plan you have to win over those weaknesses.  

Step 5: Jot down actions that must be taken to attain your goals. 

This could be things you will need to add to your daily routine and things you must eliminate. 

If you do this, you will be able to obtain your goals faster.

Step 6: This step tracks your progress. 

Pen down what has been working so well for you. 

Things you have accomplished. 

What needs improvement. 

And the knowledge and skills obtained along the way.

An Example of Personal Development Plan Example for Work

SMART goals should be your focus when designing a personal development plan example for work.

The SMART used here stands for:

S– Specific

M-Measurable

A-Achievable

R-Relevant

T– Time-Bound

With this acronym, it is easy to enhance your professional and personal life. 

There are personal development plan examples for work that includes the following questions:

• What must I do?
• How will I track success?
• What do I desire to learn?
• What resources and support will I need?

When providing answers, be as specific as possible. 

The more precise, the quicker and more comfortable you will track your progress.

As you see your track record, you will trust that hard work does pay. 

And this will offer a boost in your self-confidence and will wrap you in a sense of accomplishment.

So, let’s see another personal development plan example for work questions:

• When is your deadline?
• What or who are your biggest threats?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What essential goals do you have to achieve?

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The following steps are needed to create a simple, thorough individual professional development plan:

It is a personal development plan example.

Self-assessment

Self-assessment is an evaluation of one’s professional skills, knowledge, and interests. 

Creating this lets you examine your present position concerning your career goals.

Upon determining the interest and skills possessed, you have a responsibility.

You will be saddled with the ability to figure out areas you can improve to attain your goals.

It can be helpful to indicate your transferable skills. 

These transferable skills are marketable personal assets that employers desire in employees. 

This includes teamwork, good communication, or leadership.

Get the list of computer programs or applications you are proficient with. 

As your firm becomes heavily dependent on this software, your value becomes more apparent.

Self-assessment Examples:

• Presently a specialist but would desire to scale up into a management role.
• Presently have robust communication and interpersonal skills.
• Need to enhance leadership and time-management skills.

Goals

Goals set in a personal development plan must be SMART. 

Using SMART goals, you will be able to track your goals effectively. 

Making it easier to update the personal development plan each time you finish vital milestones.

Goals set must be structured so that it is simple to attain them by finishing up small steps. 

It is beneficial to itemize goals in order of priority.

This will help you to identify them quickly. 

It can also help you categorize goals as either long, mid, or short term range.

Which will help you develop more classified steps to obtain each goal.

Let’s break it down for quick understanding.

• Short-term: Within the next one (1) year
• Mid-term: Within the next one (1) or two (2) years
• Long-term: Within the next three (3) to five (5) years.

Goals Examples:

• Improve my remuneration by 30%
• Obtain a promotion to become a project manager

Strategies

Your individual personal development plan strategies dictate how to reach your goals.

First, write down varying approaches, education, exposure, and experiential learning.

As a rule of thumb, the vast majority of your strategies must be experiential.

This offers you a valuable hands-on experience when testing out new skills. 

For example:

If you desire to be dubbed a veterinarian, volunteer at an animal farm.

This is an experiential strategy! 

This will help obtain more knowledge about how to work with animals.

Here below are some of the things you need to consider when developing this type of strategy:

If the goal involves a career change, think about certifications and education to be obtained.

Get in the research of possible education and certification courses required for that goal.  

If you must be advised, reach out to a professional and establish a mentor-mentee relationship. 

This mentor could be an experienced coworker, a professor, or a former employee.

If building a skillset is vital, you need to possess some opportunities at your current job. 

Ask your manager for more responsibilities that will be valuable in gaining needed skills.

Strategies Examples

• Secure a management mentor
• Welcome increase responsibilities in my present job
• Finish a project management seminar
• Finish up at least two leadership courses.
• Learn precise coaching techniques

Resources

These are spots where you can get professional growth. 

They might include workshops and networking opportunities. 

These resources have the potential to impact your career path positively.

Some of the professional resources include:

Professional Associations

Both national and local associations offer memberships. 

A membership in an association will link you with like-minded individuals to build your career. 

As you grow your network, you can enhance your opportunities to improve your career.

Continuing Education Institutions

These institutions offer conferences and courses for learning about certain subjects. 

The majority of continuing education courses can lead to a degree or certification.

This degree confirms your excellence in a specific field. 

For instance:

Project managers can earn a project management professional certification.

This reveals that you can successfully take out a place implementing varying methods. 

Webinars

Businesses and professionals could host webinars to give presentations on a specific topic. 

These topics include evaluating industry trends and educating members on a specific skill. 

For instance:

A programmer can offer to give webinars on either back-end or front-end development. 

Note: There is a wide array of personal development plan examples for varying fields.

When developing different resources for your development plan, be direct. 

Why? 

It is because these resources have fees and time requirements. 

Therefore, having a complete idea of what is available is necessary.

Resources Examples:

• Local project manager group
• Project Management Institute
• Videos on varying project management patterns 

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Timelines

Your development plan must always be a work in progress. 

It must grow and change over time. 

These should also reflect where you are presently in your field.

Sometimes, you have to update personal development plans.

This is important when you’re getting milestones, changing goals, and updating strategies.

Timeline Examples

• In a month: Seek to lead the team for a little project.
• In two months: Secure a mentor.
• In three months: Register in one or two project management course
• In a year: Seek for a promotion to project management.  

Having discussed the personal development plan example, what’s next?

Here are a few personal development plan ideas that can help you move at a faster step

1. Change Your Habits

It is no bad idea to try something new and seek new ways to spice things up in your daily routine. 

Stepping outside your comfort zone will lead you to grow in ways you have never imagined.

When you establish challenges for yourself, you’ll keep both body and mind in its place.

Thus, helping you progressively adapt and learn new things. 

2. Set Goals

This can’t be overemphasized!

Before you hit the bed or start your day, develop a list of goals you intend to achieve.

Then, set up a plan of action for the right way to achieve them.

A few manageable and achievable goals wouldn’t just lead to more efficiency. 

But it will also lead you to be more confident.

3. Quit Wasting Time

Reading personal development books or articles will enhance your growth. 

It is better than mindless TV shows.

Move from one task to another.

You will undeniably obtain your sense of confidence and accomplishment. 

The steps below are mandatory if you want to implement personal development plan ideas:

• Begin with your plan
• Be ready for your Conversation
• Meet your employees
• Make a plan

1. Begin With Your Plan

When employees can see higher-ups working on self-improvement, it does this:

It builds trust and encourages everyone to assess themselves honestly.

2. Be Ready for Conversation

Hand over a development plan questionnaire to your employee.

These forms make each employee identify their:

• Professional aspirations and goals
• Opportunities for development
• Talents, skills, and passions
• Things that motivate and inspires them

Review employees’ answers and obtain performance reviews and several other materials.

This helps in preparing for discussion in advance.

Your goals are to:

1. Take into account the employee’s understanding of ways they can achieve their goals.
2. As a result, it helps the company grow as well.

3. Meet Your Employee

Individual development plan meetings often take more than an hour. 

Often, allow employees to lead the discussion when it comes to goals, skills, and passion. 

Efficiently collaborate to set up steps that will aid in achieving their goals. 

The session you are to have must be collaborative, meaningful, and enjoyable.

4. Make a Plan

When you are on the verge of determining the best way to obtain goals, think feasibility:

• Can you measure action steps?
• What can employees accomplish as they carry out their primary responsibilities?
• In terms of budget, how much can your firm afford, and what’s the employee’s time?
• Which action steps will benefit both the company and the employee?

Individual Personal Development Plan Template

Use these personal development plan template for an individual development plan.

Specifically, for your employees:

(You can also call it another personal development plan example.)

• Employee Name:
• Rank and title:
• Date:
• List our Aspirations and professional goals:
• List out talents and strengths:
• List out development opportunities:
• Action Plan (Precise tasks or steps to attain goals

Action Step

Expected Delivery Date

Actual Delivery Date

1.

2.

3.

4.

• Employee Name: Tomvad
• Rank and Title: Social Media Manager
• Date: 09/28/2020

List of Professional Aspirations and Goals

• Transcend performance expectations in the present role
• Advance to a leadership role within the company

List of Strengths and Talents

• Organization skills
• Time management skills
• Communication Skills
• Content planning

List of Development Opportunities

• Design engaging and successful at converting leads
• Transcend minimum expectations
• Become a team supervisor in your department

Action plan (precise tasks or steps to attain goals)

Final Thoughts

You can implement the personal development plan example highlighted in this article.

Coupled with the template and ideas, you can fully be in charge of your career!

As a student, you can also implement this personal development plan example.

This personal development plan example given should be a continual reference.

No doubt, a detailed personal development plan will help you take control of your life. 

Finally, it will make it easier for you to prepare for what comes your way.