DRAFT

IMA INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (IDP) DOCUMENT

AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. PURPOSE. IDPs will be completed for all IMA civilian personnel and is highly recommended for all IMA military personnel. This Instruction provides guidance on how to effectively employ an Individual Development Pl= an (IDP). An IDP is a performance improvement tool designed for civilian employees of the Installation Manage= ment Agency (IMA). IDPs, properly = used, assist our civilian employees in reaching their career goals. This Instruction outlines the defi= nition and goals of an IDP, the responsibilities of the employee and supervisor in completing the Individual Development Plan (IDP) and provides a step-by-step process for preparing an IDP. When an automated IDP system is established for IMA, each IDP will be completed = and entered into the IDP database system.

2. INTRODUCTION. The use of IDPs is widely recogniz= ed in government and industry as a tool for member/employee professional developm= ent and for budgeting available unit training dollars. Using an IDP benefits both the emp= loyee and IMA. The employee learns = about his or her personal and career needs and aspirations by identifying their short- and long-term goals. By doing so, the employee identifies what they want to achieve and what steps = they need to take to reach those goals. An IDP facilitates a partnership between the employee and supervisor= by encouraging two way feedback and prompting clarification and discussion abo= ut the employee’s development needs, setting goals and plans and understanding how these goals and objectives tie into IMA’s organizational goals and objectives.

It is essential that the supervisor and employee work together on the IDP. Although the IDP is not a performance evaluation tool, the convenient time for the employee and supervisor to meet is at the beginning of the rating cycle or within 45 days upon entry in a new position/job or permanent change of station.=

3. DEFINITION. An IDP is a tool to help IMA civil= ian employees reach career goals within the context of organizational objectives. It is a developme= ntal “action” plan to move employees from where they are to where th= ey want to go. It provides the systematic steps to build on strengths and overcome weaknesses as employees improve job performance and pursue career goals. It is a tool for all employees regardless of rank or performance.

The most common objectives for having an IDP ar= e to:

· Learn new = skills and competencies to improve current job performance

· Maximize c= urrent performance in support of organizational requirements

· Increase interest, challenges, and satisfaction in current position

· Obtain competencies necessary for a promotion or change in grade, series, or field= .

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.= Both the employee and supervisor h= ave important roles in the IDP process. The IMA’s success is directly attributed to the quality of its people. If our people are not encouraged to grow beyond their current knowledge, skills, and abilities, t= he IMA will not become an “agency of employment choice” and will n= ot be able to keep pace in our rapidly transforming organization. The IMA’s ability to develop= its people into a diverse, multi-skilled workforce depends on each person contr= ibuting to the process.

a. The employee is responsible for:<= /span>

· Assessing = their past experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities against the development objectives of IMA

· Drafting t= he initial plan by identifying short and long-range developmental needs and competencies and educational, training and professional development sources= to satisfy these requirements

· Prepare a proposed 5-year timeline for accomplishing developmental activities

· Meeting wi= th their supervisor at the beginning of their rating cycle to discuss and reach agreement on the objectives and specific plan for accomplishing the objecti= ves

· Satisfacto= rily completing all assigned reading, education and developmental assignments.

<= o:p>

b. The supervisor is responsible for:

· Educating = the employees within their chain of command on the IDP process and to ensure its use

· Performing= a developmental needs assessment, in cooperation with the employee, to assist= the individual in planning and formulating actions to successfully accomplish identified career objectives.

· Analyzing = the competencies of the employee

· Assessing = IMAs short and long term needs, staffing needs, mission, changes in technology, = and the employees potential to meet those needs

· Determinin= g what resources are available for employee development

· Meeting wi= th the employee to provide feedback about developmental strengths and needs, coach= ing about possible developmental activities, and endorsing a development plan t= hat addresses concerns by specifying, in detail, the goals and competencies nee= ded for the present job and/or future positions.

· Including projected training needs in the units training plan

· Evaluating= the development, activities and training completed by each employee<= /span>

5. THE IDP DOCUMENT. The following guidance will assist= you in filling out the IDP document (attached).

· Section A = - General Information. Provide name, of= fice symbol, position title, pay plan, series, grade/step, e-mail address and work phone=

· Section B – Career Goals. State y= our short-term goals (achievable within 1-2 years) and long-term goals (achieva= ble within 3-5 years). Goals can = be written in any format you choose. You can specify a rate, rank, position, series, and grade, if desire= d, or simply indicate the new qualification, skill title, role you wish to achieve. The more specific the plan, the better you can identify developmental activities that can help you reach your goal.

· Section C – Prior Training. Ident= ify all previous significant training, the source of the training, and the date completed. Significant traini= ng is defined as courses over one week (40+ hours) in length. Basic technical training courses a= nd courses such as: EEO, HIV Awareness, Safety, Opsec, etc. need not be listed. Especially important = are any leadership and management courses completed to include: Action Officer Development Course; Supervisor Development Course; OPM Course for New Supervisors; Managerial Development Course; OSD’s Executive Leadershi= p & Development Program; Seni= or Service College; or Federal Executive Institute courses.

· Section D – Development Goals. Id= entify those goals or competencies that are critical to achieving your short- and long-term career goals. Ident= ify a developmental activity for each targeted competency. Explore developmental activities i= n the areas of education (e.g. a college course in effective writing, speech, etc= .), training (e.g., on-the-job training such as assisting in special work group= s or projects) and professional development (e.g. reading, joining Toastmasters, joining a professional organization). Articulate the outcomes you desire to achieve by completing the particular training identified.

· Section E – Career Broadening/Job Rotational Assignments. Identify possible career broadening assignments that will allow you to become multi-skilled and to acquire a diverse background. This can = be within your current organization or with a higher-level agency such as an I= MA Region Office, HQIMA, or HQDA. Provide an acceptable start date and anticipated duration of the assignment. Finally, list the competency objectives you wish to attain in this new assignment.=

· Section F – The 5-Year Development Plan. Use some thought in completing this section. Your objective should be to lay ou= t a schedule that will permit you to sequentially develop the competencies and skills needed as you progress from your current level up to supervisory, manager and executive levels. List by Fiscal Year (FY) what education, training, professional development or c= areer broadening assignments you would like to engage in over the next five years. For example: you may w= ant to take a college course in FY 07. The following year you may want to attend a leadership or management course (e.= g., FEI, DLAMP, etc.) The third and fo= urth year may be reserved for a career broadening assignment. The key is to request the right tr= aining at the right time in your career that builds upon your previous experiences= and training.

· Section G – Signatures. Both you = and your supervisor need to sign and date your completed IDP.=

6. SUMMARY. If the IDP is followed closely, yo= u will see that there is no definite end; this is a lifelong learning experience.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> As you implement your plan, you mo= ve closer to your goals and identify new needs and possibly more defined goals. You are acquiring the experiences, knowledge, and competencies you will need to fulfill your full potential and increase your effectiveness and performance within the Installation Management Agency and the United States Army.