The Performance Development Planning

The Performance Development Planning (PDP) process enables you and the people
who report to you to identify their personal and business goals that are most
significant to your organization's success.

The process enables each staff person to understand their true value-added
to the organization. They do so when they understand how their job and the
requested outcomes from their contribution "fit" inside your department or work
unit's overall goals.

Personal Developmental Goals

In the process, staff members also set personal developmental goals that will
increase their ability to contribute to the success of your organization. The
accomplishment of these goals also provides a foundation for their career success
whether in your organization or elsewhere, so they ought to be motivated and
excited about achieving these goals.

Your system of Performance Management, with the PDP process for goal setting
and communication, will ensure that you are developing a superior workforce. As
one CEO remarks daily, "The only factor that constrains our growth is our ability to
hire a superior workforce." Why not grow that talent from within your organization
as well?

PDP meetings are held, at least, quarterly to review the staff person's progress
on the overall goals and objectives. Your staff person's progress on the action
plans, that result from the PDP goals, is reviewed at your weekly one-on-one
meeting. This weekly meeting allows you to offer assistance and to identify any
help or tools the staff person needs to succeed.

These recommendations tell you and your staff person what to do prior to the
Performance Development Planning meeting.

• Schedule the Performance Development Planning meeting and define

pre-work with the staff member.
• The staff member reviews personal performance for the quarter, writes
business and personal developmental goal ideas on the PDP form and
gathers needed documentation, including 360 degree feedback results,
when available.
• The supervisor prepares for the PDP meeting by clearly defining the
most important outcomes needed from the staff person's job within the
framework of the organization's strategic plan.
• The supervisor writes business and personal developmental goal ideas
on the PDP form in preparation for the discussion.
 • The supervisor gathers data including work records and reports and
input from others familiar with the staff person’s work.
• Both the supervisor and the employee examine how the employee is
performing against all criteria, and think about areas for potential
development.
• The supervisor develops a plan for the PDP meeting which includes
answers to all questions about the performance development planning
process with examples, documentation, and so on.
• Recognize that this process takes place quarterly and that the most
time and work are invested in the first PDP meeting. The rest of the
quarterly PDP goals, maybe for years, are updates to the initial goals.

So, while seemingly time consuming on the front end, the PDP process, with a
formal, effective foundation of solid personal and business goals, is less time
consuming as quarters pass. The PDP continues to create business and employee
success and value during its lifetime. With quarterly updates, the PDP process
contributes into the future.

During the Performance Development Planning (PDP) meeting:

• Establish a comfortable, private setting and chat a few minutes to

establish rapport with the staff person.
• Discuss and agree upon the objective of the meeting: to create a
performance development plan.
• The staff member is given the opportunity to discuss the achievements
and progress accomplished during the quarter.
• The staff member identifies ways in which he would like to further
develop his professional performance, including training, assignments,
new challenges and so on.
• The supervisor discusses the employee's performance for the quarter
and suggests ways in which the staff member might further develop his
performance.
• The supervisor provides input to the employee's selected areas of
personal and professional development and improvement.
• Discuss areas of agreement and disagreement, and reach consensus.
• Examine job responsibilities for the coming quarter and, in general.
• Agree upon standards for performance for the key job responsibilities
for the quarter.
• Discuss how the goals support the accomplishment of the
organization's business plan and the department's objectives.
• Set goals together for the quarter.
• Agree upon a measurement for each goal.
• Assuming performance is satisfactory for the quarter, agree on a
personal and professional development plan with the staff person, that
helps him grow professionally in ways important to him and to your
organization.
• If performance is less than satisfactory, develop a written Performance
Improvement Plan (PIP), and schedule more frequent feedback
 meetings. Remind the employee of the consequences connected with
continued poor performance.
• The supervisor and the employee discuss the employee's feedback and
constructive suggestions for the supervisor and the department.
• Discuss anything else the supervisor or employee would like to
discuss, hopefully, maintaining the positive and constructive environment
established thus far, during the meeting.
• Mutually sign the Performance Development Planning document to
indicate the discussion has taken place.
• End the meeting in a positive and supportive manner. The supervisor
expresses confidence that the employee can accomplish the plan and
that the supervisor is available for support and assistance.
• Set a time-frame for formal follow up, generally quarterly. I
recommend you set the actual date for follow-up.
• If a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) was necessary, follow up at
the designated times.
• Follow up with performance feedback and discussions regularly
throughout the quarter. (An employee should never be surprised about
the content of feedback at the quarterly performance development
meeting.)
• The supervisor needs to keep commitments relative to the agreed
upon personal and professional development plan, including time needed
away from the job, payment for courses, agreed-upon assignments and
so on.
• The supervisor needs to act upon the feedback from departmental
members and let staff members know what has changed, based upon
their feedback.
• Forward appropriate documentation to the Human Resources office
and retain a copy of the plan for easy access and referral.

When your organization develops the discipline and commitment necessary to carry
out regular performance development planning, your organization will win. This
systematic method for cascading goals and commitment throughout your
organization will ensure your success.
Performance Development Plan FORMAT

Employee Name:

Position:

Department:

Reason for Evaluation: Quarterly / Other? __________________________

Job Description:

Performance Goals:

List the employee's most important work performance goals for the quarter.

Specific Duty / Goal / Tools Needed for Goal / Completion Date

Additional Tools or Training Needed:

Discussion and Measurement:

Personal and Professional Developmental Goals:

List the employee's most important personal and professional developmental goals for the quarter.

Specific Goal / How will we know it is being achieved? / Tools Needed for Goal / Completion Date

Additional Tools or Training Needed:

Discussion and Measurement:

Employee Comments:

Employee Suggestions for Supervisor or Departmental Development:

Date for Next Development Meeting: (Schedule quarterly.)

Employee’s Signature:

Date:

Supervisor’s Signature:

Date: