Developing SMART Professional Development Plans [Audience- Leadership Meeting Rolling Out the Use of team member Development Plans] Today, we are going to talk about one of the many ways an organization can increase team member engagement and improve retention. Team Member Development plans or Individual Development Plan (EDP/IDP) are one way organizations can invest in the development of its people.

Agenda Purpose of Team Member Development Plans How to Create a Development Plan Considerations for a Development Plan SMART Goals and Development Plans Today we are going to talk about: The purpose of team member Development Plans How to Create a Development Plan Considerations for a Development Plan SMART Goals and Development Plans

What are Team Member Development Plans? Plans for and individual’s self-development over a period of time (usually one year) The plan is reviewed and discussed to match the individual goals with organization goals Team Member development plans don’t replace annual reviews or frequent feedback – the tools work in partnership A team member development plan or individual development plan (EDP/IDP) is a document completed by an individual that plans for the individual’s self-development over a period of time, usually one year. The plan is reviewed and discussed to match the individual goals with organization and department goals. team member development plans do not take the place of annual reviews or frequent feedback. The tools work in partnership with one another – the team member development plan creates the vision of a career path. Development plans will be unique and can focus on current position, attaining a promotion or new position, or may emphasize more general leadership and professional skills.

Team Member Development Plans You can see that a team member development plan clearly defines one’s personal mission statement, short and long term goals, and development activities while providing opportunity to track and review progress made to goals.

Reasons for a Team Member Development Plan Increase skills and knowledge Create support for career goals Allows individuals to leverage strengths, address weaknesses and improves performance Organization goals Provide a connection between organization, department and individual goals Help funnel the potential, energy and enthusiasm of individual team members Demonstrates value of quality improvement Structure helps management budget and plan There are many reasons organizations use team member development plans. Generally the philosophy for use is that “Organizations grow when the people inside grow.” And team member development plans groom team members for a long-term commitment with the organization. The relationship to staff engagement and retention is by having a development plan (even if the development plan eventually will require the team member to get experience outside of the organization), a team member engaged in the plan will be more dedicated to the organization and want to see success because they know that the organization wants to see them succeed too. Here are a few reasons for using team member development plans: Increases skills and knowledge base (skill gap) Creates support for team members’ career goals Allows individual team members to leverage strengths, address weaknesses Improves performance Organization goals Provides the connection to between organization and department goals and the individual Helps funnel the potential, energy and enthusiasm of individual team members to organization-wide initiatives Demonstrates commitment towards quality improvement Structure helps management budget and plan

How to Create a Development Plan Self Assessment Review: Individual strengths? Development needs? What interests me? How do I want to grow (within current role or into another)? What role will align with my values? What is my personal style? Because development plans will be unique and can focus on a current position, or they may emphasize more general leadership and professional skills, the process for developing the plans will also be unique per individual. Here are a few things to reflect on when creating a plan – Step 1: Complete a Self Assessment. What do you I think are my Individual strengths – what do others say are my strengths Development Needs What interests me How do I want to grow (within current role or into another) What role will align with my values What is my personal style Review tools available to you – online surveys, prior reviews, performance feedback

How to Create a Development Plan Assess your current position and work environment: What are the performance expectations of the current position? What knowledge skills and abilities will enhance the ability to perform your job? What impact does your position have when organization changes occur? How much does your position interact with residents, family members, vendors, team members and other leaders – what interactions do you like or not like? Step 2 requires that you: Assess your current position and work environment What are the performance expectations of the current position? What knowledge skills and abilities will enhance the ability to perform your current job? What impact does your position have when organization changes occur? How much does your position interact with residents, family members, vendors, team members and other leaders – what interactions do you like or not like?

How to Create a Development Plan Write a Draft team member Development Plan that answers the following questions: What goals do you want to achieve in your career? Short term Long term Which of these development goals are mutually beneficial to you and your organization? After you have completed Step 1 and 2, it is recommended that you write a draft team member development plan that answers the following questions: What goals do you want to achieve in your career? Which of these development goals are mutually beneficial to you and your organization? Some team members find it valuable to draft a career mission statement that answers these questions.

Development Plan Considerations Identify development activities Methods: Formal training (on the job v. off the job) Education Development activities Resources required: Flexibility of schedule Costs v. return on investment Available funding Scholarships Tuition reimbursement These things may be beneficial for you to consider when determining the best way to achieve your development goals. First, what are the available methods; and secondly what resources will be required?

Cost Effective Training & Development Mentorship Committees Conferences and forums Job shadowing Field trips Job expanding Job rotations Peer assisted learning Coaching Critical incident reporting/response Networking Performance appraisal Professional associations Reading groups (learning circles) Self study Learning fairs There are many cost effective alternatives to formal education. Depending on the development goals of the broader organization team members, we may find value in facilitating organization wide activities. For an example, hosting a learning fair or workshop, encouraging staff to teach one another, or facilitating a self study group. Others include – include – Mentorship Committees – resident, family, team member, dining-survey preparation or follow up, quality committees Conferences and forums Job shadowing Field trips Job expanding Job rotations Peer assisted learning Coaching Critical incident reporting/response Networking Performance appraisal Professional associations – LeadingAge Minnesota Reading groups (learning circles) Self study

SMART Goals and Development Plans Specific: State exactly what you want to accomplish (Who, What, Where, Why) Measurable: How will you demonstrate and evaluate the extent to which the goal has been made Attainable: Stretch and challenging goals within the ability to achieve the outcome Relevant: How does the goal tie into your key responsibilities? Organization objectives? Time-based: Set 1 or more target dates? The “by when” to guide your goal to timely completion (include deadlines and dates and frequency) Now, that a draft team member development plan has been created, the next steps is to review the plan to see if it is SMART! A SMART team member development plan is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time based. This means – Specific: State exactly what you want to accomplish (Who, What, Where, Why). Measurable: How will you demonstrate and evaluate the extent to which the goal has been made? Attainable: Stretch and challenging goals within the ability to achieve the outcome. Relevant: How does the goal tie into your key responsibilities? How is the goal aligned to organization objectives? Time-based: Set 1 or more target dates. The “by when” to guide your goal to successful and timely completion (include deadlines and dates and frequency).

To complete the SMART review, the team member and manager would go through the draft development plan and ask each of the following questions. Once the answers to the plan are “Yes,” the development plan can be placed into action.

Putting Your Plan in Action Review the plan periodically with your supervisor for their guidance Solicit feedback Network and find others with similar goals Evaluate your progress and make adjustments as necessary Celebrate and recognize success Review the plan monthly or quarterly with your supervisor for his or her guidance Solicit feedback Network and find others with similar goals Evaluate your progress and make adjustments as necessary Celebrate and recognize success

How We Use Development Plans INSERT COMMUNITY SPECIFIC INFORMATION Expectations (who has one) When are they updated Where are they stored How often are they reviewed and updated …etc. Organization Specific Information

Conclusion Recognize that development is a journey, not a sprint Goals may change Development activities may overlap Activities may need to change depending on availability of resources Communication is key! Team member development plans are merely one of many tools an organization has to facilitate engagement and retention. We have to recognize that team member development is a journey, not a sprint. Team members learn and develop at their own rates. Individual goals may change, development activities may overlap and activities may need to change depending on availability of resources. The most critical element of a team member development plan is ultimately the communication between the team member and manager. When team members feel that they are able to speak about their career aspirations and know that their manager/organization will listen, the end result is staff engagement and retention. The Development Plan is one of the ways that a communication channel can be created. DISCUSSION: What else can you, as a manager, do to ensure that a team member has the tools and resources necessary to do their job? What else can we do, as a management team, to ensure team members have the tools and resources necessary to achieve their goals?

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