A development plan should be one of the most useful documents in a person's career. In practice, it is often one of the least. Too many development plans are created during annual review season, filed away in a shared folder, and never looked at again until the next review cycle. They become a compliance exercise rather than a genuine tool for growth. The reason is usually that the plan was built around what the organisation needs rather than what the person wants, or it was so vague that neither party knew what to do with it.
The best development plans are co-owned, specific, and alive. They change as the person grows, and they are discussed regularly, not annually.
Starting with the person
A development plan that does not reflect the individual's own aspirations is dead on arrival. Before you write anything down, invest time in understanding what they actually want from their career. Not what you think they should want, and not what fits neatly into your team's succession plan, but what genuinely motivates them and where they see themselves heading.
Some people have a clear vision. Others have no idea, and that is perfectly fine. Your role is to help them explore the possibilities, not to prescribe a path. Ask open questions, share what you have observed about their strengths, and give them the space to think without pressure. The conversation itself is often more valuable than the document it produces.
- Ask what excites themFind out which parts of their current role they enjoy most and which they find draining. Energy is a better indicator of potential than competency alone. People grow fastest in areas that genuinely interest them.
- Explore beyond the roleDevelopment does not have to mean promotion. Some people want to deepen their expertise, others want to broaden it, and some want to move laterally into an entirely different function. All of these are valid paths worth supporting.
- Understand their timelineSome people want to grow quickly and are ready for big challenges now. Others prefer a steadier pace. Aligning the plan to their timeline prevents it from feeling either overwhelming or underwhelming.
- Share your observationsTell them what you see as their standout strengths and the areas where growth would have the most impact. People often have blind spots about their own capability. Your perspective as their manager adds information they cannot get elsewhere.
- Check for external factorsLife circumstances affect development ambitions. Someone with a new baby or caring for a family member may want a quieter period. Someone approaching a career milestone may want to accelerate. Acknowledge the whole person, not just the employee.
Building the plan
A good development plan is specific enough to be actionable but flexible enough to adapt as circumstances change. It should contain a small number of clear goals, each with concrete steps that the person can take within their current role. Avoid the trap of listing ten development areas. Three is usually the right number, because focus drives progress and breadth drives stagnation.
For each goal, define what success looks like. Not in vague terms like "improve leadership skills" but in observable terms like "lead the Q3 planning process end-to-end" or "present the team's quarterly results to the senior leadership group." When both you and the individual can recognise when a goal has been achieved, the plan becomes a useful tool rather than a wishful document.
- Keep it focusedThree development goals at most. If you try to work on everything at once, you end up making marginal progress on many things and meaningful progress on none. Depth beats breadth in development.
- Make it observableEach goal should have clear indicators of progress that both of you can see. "Become a better communicator" is unmeasurable. "Run three team presentations and seek feedback after each" is concrete and trackable.
- Mix learning methodsDevelopment happens through experience, exposure, and education, roughly in that order of impact. Prioritise on-the-job challenges and mentoring relationships over courses. Courses have their place, but they are rarely sufficient alone.
- Identify opportunitiesLook at the work coming up in the next quarter and identify which projects or tasks could serve as development opportunities. Connecting development goals to real work makes them practical rather than theoretical.
- Co-author the planWrite the plan together, ideally with the individual holding the pen. When they own the document, they own the commitment. A plan that feels imposed from above will be treated as homework rather than a personal investment.
Supporting progress
Creating the plan is the easy part. Supporting someone through it is where the real management work happens. Development rarely follows a straight line. There will be setbacks, competing priorities, and moments where the person loses motivation. Your role is to keep the plan visible, remove obstacles, and provide the encouragement and accountability that sustains momentum over months, not just the first fortnight.
The most effective thing you can do is integrate development into your regular conversations rather than treating it as a separate topic. Discuss progress in your one-to-ones. Reference the plan when assigning work. Point out moments where they are demonstrating growth, even if they have not noticed it themselves.
- Review monthlySet a recurring checkpoint to discuss the plan specifically. This does not need to be a long conversation. Ten minutes in a catchup is enough to review progress, adjust plans, and reaffirm commitment.
- Remove blockersSometimes development stalls because of practical obstacles: no budget for a course, no suitable project available, or too much operational work crowding out growth activities. Your job is to clear the path wherever you can.
- Connect them to peopleIntroduce them to mentors, sponsors, and peers who can support their growth. Development is not just about tasks and training. Relationships are often the most powerful accelerator, and you are uniquely placed to make those connections.
- Give real-time feedbackDo not wait for a formal review to share how they are doing. When you see them applying a new skill or stepping outside their comfort zone, say something immediately. Timely feedback reinforces learning far more effectively than retrospective comments.
Reviewing and adapting
A development plan is not a contract. It is a living document that should evolve as the person grows, as their interests shift, and as the team's needs change. Treating it as fixed defeats its purpose. The best plans are reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on what has been learned, what has changed, and what opportunities have emerged.
Reviewing the plan is also an opportunity to celebrate how far someone has come. People often underestimate their own growth because it happens gradually. Stepping back to compare where they are now with where they started provides a powerful reminder that the investment is paying off, for them and for the team.
- Quarterly check-insEvery three months, review the full plan together. Ask what has progressed, what has stalled, and what no longer feels relevant. Adjust goals, timelines, and activities based on the conversation.
- Celebrate milestonesWhen a development goal is achieved, mark it. This does not need to be grand, but acknowledging the accomplishment reinforces the value of the effort and motivates continued investment in growth.
- Be willing to pivotIf someone's interests have genuinely changed, update the plan to reflect that. Forcing someone to pursue a goal they no longer care about is a waste of everyone's time. Flexibility shows that you respect their autonomy.
- Connect to performanceWhen review season arrives, the development plan should provide clear evidence of growth. Reference specific achievements and link them to the goals that were set. This makes the review conversation richer and more grounded in reality.
Set meaningful goals and track progress
Use targets to define clear development objectives and track your team's growth over time.