At one point in my career, I sat in a performance review and once the summary was finished my manager said you seem to be disappointed. I went on to explain that given my time in the company, the results I had delivered, and the peer support I had provided, I believed not only should I be progressing in levels but that I should be moving into people management. I was surprised to see how surprised he was to hear this from me. He mentioned that he had no idea that this was something I had any interest in. Whereas I believed no-one worked as hard as I did for no reason. I incorrectly believed my drive and ambition was implied. I said as much to him. Then he said a sentence that has stayed with me throughout my career “Kerrie, you own your own development”. This was one of the single greatest lessons in my career and one I flag to every person I mentor and coach.
Previously, I believed it was not only my manager’s job but duty to develop me and while this is true to an extent, I have seen firsthand how not owning your own development can be a huge blocker to progression. Your manager needs to support your development, but you need to guide them on how to do this and what this development looks like for you. Never assume that your peers, direct leaders, or senior management know your intention automatically. You need to be explicit when it comes to your ambition, expectations and goals and the way to do this is through the creation of an Individual Development Plan (IDP). An IDP is a tracking document you can draft and share with your manager over the course of a determined period, to ensure open dialogue on learning and development opportunities. An IDP does not need to be an overly complex document, but it does need to be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound. When people I am coaching/mentoring have not created an IDP before I recommend using the rating, peer and manager feedback from their most recent performance review cycle together with your personal goals to form the foundations of the IDP.
It is very easy for your development to be placed on the backburner when workload increases. As with most things in life you get out what you put in and this is very much the case when it comes to your development. A crucial element to successful development is ensuring that you as well as your manager commit fully to the IDP. As mentioned, you own your development, so you need to give this document as much care and attention as you do your daily tasks. There also needs to be a regular, dedicated meeting to your IDP in the calendar allowing the space and time for review, discussion, and next steps. Your IDP conversations are not the same as your regular 1-2-1s. Depending on the length and regularity of your 1-2-1 with your manager, there needs to be a minimum of a monthly meeting on your IDP lasting 45 minutes to an hour. It is imperative that AIs and next steps are tracked as part of the IDP meeting ensuring you hold yourself and your manager accountable. It will also keep your progress front of mind for your manager when training courses or certifications come up which align with your goals.
Finally, IDPs allow time for reflection and proactive decisions on where you want to go to next in your career. Your time with a company passes by quickly and it’s easy to get caught up in the deadlines and the priorities; having an IDP ensures you are present in your development; it allows for a transparent and supportive relationship with your manager, and it affords you control in an environment where you can feel swept along by the KPIs and objectives of the business. Make the commitment to give yourself the time and dedication you give to your workload daily, step in and own your own development.
