This past week at my day job, we went through an organizational restructuring. Some of my team is now reporting to a new manager and I have new people on my team. If you find yourself on a new team, this is the perfect time to review your Individual Development Plan.
It's been a while since I last talked about your IDP, but I believe it is a critical tool for ensuring your advancement. For a more detailed explanation of the different sections of the IDP and how to incorporate one into your one-on-one discussions with your leader, review Episodes 036 to 040 of this podcast (https://www.managingacareer.com/36) and if you need a copy of my IDP template, you can reach out via the Contact Form on the Managing A Career website (https://managingacareer.com/contact).
But, to summarize, the IDP is a document that YOU own that takes a systematic, top-down approach towards breaking down your career plan. It starts with the Vision and Roadmap sections (https://www.managingacareer.com/37) that looks at your five or ten year goal and helps you identify the major steps it will take to get there. Next are the Assessment and Next Role sections (https://www.managingacareer.com/38) where you look at just the first step on your journey towards your Vision. In these sections you focus on identifying your strengths and weaknesses in your current role and what is holding you back from reaching the next step on the roadmap. Once you have completed the assessment, you can document an Action Plan (https://www.managingacareer.com/39) of how you will address the gaps. And the final section of the IDP is the one where you document your Successes. It is important to document your accomplishments and periodically review them to remind yourself of the progress you've made.
While your IDP should be a consistent component of your regular one-on-ones, any time you change leaders is a good time to review it. With new management comes new expectations and new opportunities. By taking the time to review and update your IDP you can ensure that your path forward is not derailed by not understanding how to impress your new leader.
Start by validating your current Vision statement. Since you last updated your IDP, has anything changed about where you see your career heading? Have you learned anything more about what you like and dislike about your career trajectory? Or maybe you've grown and can see further into the future about where you want to be.
With a refined Vision, do you need to adjust how you get from here to there? Consider how your new team fits with your defined roadmap. Does it put you closer or further from your goal? What experiences or connections does your new manager have that you can benefit from their mentorship? Will this new team or new manager provide you with any shortcuts to your goal?
