“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

George Bernard Shaw

What is a PDP? 

An academic site defined PDP as a ‘structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development’. 

Sounds complicated? Don’t be put off! Having a personal development plan is a great way to stay grounded in your goals and to measure your achievements. You may be used to having assessments at work but how often to you apply the sound thinking behind this to your personal life?  PDP’s are a great way to get  work/life balance right, to take an objective view of the different areas of our lives and plan appropriate improvements and changes. 

A plan showing  performance, achievements  and  future actions can keep you on track when you lose your way or stumble into obstacles; it can be your mirror to  success, reflecting how well you are progressing. 

How Personal Development Plans can help you 

PDP’s  are a powerful tool in coaching and training programmes. By working with a coach who is there to provide  support as well as  challenge  to clarify how far you have come and where you want to be at given times in the future, you can really appreciate your own progress towards your goals. 

A  Personal Development Plan can be used before, during and after coaching or training sessions to focus you on your future actions, ensuring you don’t lose that momentum for change and that you do achieve your goals. It will also underpin your commitment to the changes you have started to implement.

You can choose to use a PDP in one or all of the following stages: 

• To prepare you for coaching or training by summarising what you want to change or improve, for personal, career and learning outcomes
• To create a set of general targets
• To plan for the future after the coaching or training to ensure continual personal or professional development with identified and time defined outcomes. 

Remember that PDP’s are a continuing process and add considerable impetus and power to your coaching experience. They are organic, ongoing, transforming and transformative. 

Ask yourself – If you don’t have a personal development plan how can you know what interventions and support you need, what that should include, and whether it is successful? 

How we can help you create your Plan 

A  PDP  is unique to each person. Yourcoaching works with you to identify those areas particular to where you are in your life, what is your vision and what are your objectives. You will clarify and prioritise what you want to develop, according to need and time factors, and taking into account the impact of the plan on other areas of life and other people you engage with. 

A typical Personal Development Plan might include: 

• A summary of the goals you have already achieved and the changes you have already made 
• A summary of your strengths, competencies and skills  
• A statement of your aspirations and ambitions related to personal or work life 
• A note of the resources and support networks you identify to take you forward with your long term goals 
• An action plan with journey goals scheduled for you to measure future success 
• A set of tools and techniques that you accumulate as you progress 
• Specified rewards to keep you committed and to ensure you acknowledge your achievements 
• Space for reflection and contemplation 
• Review dates at which to assess your steps towards success. 

Whatever your goals and aspirations, shine a light on their progress with your own Personal Development Plan.