Building an Individual Development Plan That Actually Works

A practical guide for professionals — and the managers who support them

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Most of us are told we should “have a development plan.” Performance management systems force us to put something! Too often, development plans become lists of training programs, generic competencies are ticked - annual HR paperwork that quietly dies after the appraisal cycle.

Real development doesn’t work that way. Unfortunately, few are shown how to build a development plan that actually accelerates growth.

The most powerful development happens through experience—especially difficult, uncomfortable, and visible experiences that stretch someone beyond what they already know. In this article, I have tried to outline how an individual can approach building a development plan that is realistic, business-aligned, and genuinely transformative. I close with a manager-focused section on how leaders can support development on their teams.

1. Start with the “Why”: Development for Which Role?

The first mistake individuals make is trying to develop “in general.”

Development works best when you are clear about which role you are developing for, especially if you are preparing for a bigger one. Ask yourself:

• What role do I want to be ready for in the next 2–3 years?

• If that role opened today, why wouldn’t I be given it?

• What doubts might my manager or leadership team have about my readiness?

  
  

These questions are uncomfortable, but essential. They move development from aspiration to realism. In many cases, the gap is not technical competence but acceptability, credibility, certain elements of leadership, or experience at scale—areas people often avoid confronting.

2. Identify Your Real Gaps—Not a Shopping List of Skills

Once the target role is clear, focus only on the critical gaps. Less is more.

Instead of listing lots of skills, ask:

• What 2–3 things must I demonstrate for others to trust me in that role?

• What evidence would convince my manager and stakeholders that I am ready?

  
  

Think in terms of “medals on the chest”—visible achievements that signal readiness. Examples include:

• Leading a cross-functional initiative rather than contributing to one

• Owning a business outcome, not just a workstream

• Managing conflict or influence across senior stakeholders

  
  

If there are serious concerns—such as recurring teamwork issues—those must be addressed first, or development efforts can stall.

3. Understand How Development Really Happens: The Role of Experience

We have all heard of the useful rule of thumb: the 70–20–10 framework. For those who are hearing this for the first time, it means that 70% from on-the-job experiences, 20% from exposure to others (managers, mentors, peers) and 10% from formal learning.

However, given the tectonic changes in the world around us, especially in tech and AI, I personally think the ‘learning from others’ element will have a bigger share in the future!

Anyway, the danger is in becoming pedantic about the numbers. What matters is the principle: experience is the engine of development, not coursework alone. Your plan should therefore be anchored in specific experiences, with others to support you.

4. Use the Intensity–Breadth Lens to Choose the Right Experiences

All development experiences can be understood along two dimensions:

Intensity

How demanding the experience is relative to what you’ve handled before:

• High stakes or visible outcomes

• Tight timelines

• Business-critical impact

• Significant accountability

  
  

Breadth

How far the experience pushes you outside your comfort zone:

• New functions or domains

• New stakeholders or networks

• Ambiguity and unclear answers

• Skills you haven’t yet mastered

  
  

High-impact development often comes from experiences that are high on both intensity and breadth, such as:

• Turning around a struggling business unit

• Leading a new category or initiative

• Taking on unfamiliar responsibilities with company-wide visibility

  
  

When building your plan, ask:

• Does this assignment stretch me on intensity, breadth, or both?

• Am I choosing this because it is easy—or because it will develop me?

  
  

5. Choose One or Two Stretch Assignments—Not Five

A common trap is ambition without focus. The best plans typically include job rotations, doing different roles, but where that’s not clear, do focus on:

• One major stretch assignment, and

• One supporting experience (mentoring, cross-functional exposure, or shadowing)

  
  

For instance,

• A functional expert aiming for general management may lead a cross-functional project with P&L implications.

• A technically strong manager lacking influence skills may take on a visible coordination role across major stakeholders.

  
  

Ensure the assignment:

• Is important to the business

• Has clear outcomes

• Is recognized as meaningful by leadership

  
  

Development that doesn’t matter to the business rarely matters to careers.

6. Align Explicitly with Your Manager

Development plans fail most often due to indecision and inertia, not lack of talent.

Before starting an assignment, align with your manager on:

• What this experience is meant to develop

• What success looks like

• How progress will be reviewed

  
  

Simple questions help:

• “What should I use this opportunity to develop?”

• “What would you like to see me demonstrate through this assignment?”

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This shared clarity dramatically increases the learning value of any role or project.

7. Learn Actively While the Experience Is Happening

Development doesn’t happen automatically because an assignment is tough. Build reflection into the journey:

• Mid-point check-ins: What am I learning so far?

• What am I finding hardest—and why?

• Who can help me navigate this better?

  
  

Ask for feedback while there is still time to course-correct. Your “battle scars”—mistakes, setbacks, and tough calls—are often the strongest evidence of development, if you learn from them.

8. Build a Long-Term Development Mindset

Over time, strong professionals develop a mindset where:

• Every role has a development edge

• Stretch assignments are actively sought, not avoided

• Learning agility becomes a personal strength

  
  

An organization with a development culture intentionally supports this, but individuals don’t have to wait for the system—they can cultivate it day-to-day.

Here are a couple of suggestions for us to be ‘continuous learners’:

-          Follow one curiosity every week, no matter how small

-          Talk to one person outside your usual circle every month

-          Travel (physically or intellectually) when you feel bored

-          Every year do something that scares you slightly, but excites you deeply (one of my bosses had this tip- write your CV every year and if you have not done anything new to put on a CV, you haven’t grown!)

-          Say yes to opportunities before you feel completely ready

Remember, you have more energy, creativity and strength than you use!

For Managers: How to Support Your Team’s Development

Your involvement can make or break an individual’s development plan. Here’s how to support growth in a way that’s practical, business-aligned, and empowering.

1. Make Development a Shared Responsibility

Teams grow when both managers and individuals take ownership. Clarify that:

• The individual owns what they want to develop

• The manager supports how they will grow

• You both align on why it matters to the business

This shared language signals partnership, not ownership.

2. Help Identify Meaningful Gaps

Don’t just focus on performance metrics—focus on potential gaps relative to future roles. Ask:

• What experiences will stretch this person?

• Where have they plateaued?

• What evidence would convince you they are ready for more responsibility?

  
  

This reframes development from “skills checklist” to role readiness.

3. Coach During the Experience

Give real-time, honest feedback. Development works best when:

• You set expectations together

• You review progress regularly

• You help interpret what happened after a challenge

  
  

Mid-assignment feedback beats annual reviews.

4. Create Stretch Opportunities

Where possible:

• Delegate meaningful ownership, not just tasks

• Support cross-functional exposure

• Encourage visibility beyond the team

  
  

Development isn’t growth if it happens in the shadows.

5. Tie Development to Business Outcomes

When learning aligns with business priorities, development becomes less of a “nice-to-have” and more of a must-do. This might mean:

• Defining expected impact

• Including specific KPIs

• Reviewing outcomes in business reviews

  
  

This visibility motivates and legitimizes development efforts.

6. Recognize and Celebrate Progress

Signal wins publicly and privately:

• Acknowledge risk taken

• Highlight lessons learned

• Connect growth to outcomes

  
  

Recognition reinforces behaviour and builds confidence.

Closing thought

An effective individual development plan is not a document — it’s a practice of intentional experiential growth grounded in business relevance. When individuals take ownership and managers play a supportive, strategic role, development becomes a source of competitive advantage for both careers and organizations. At Crossmentors, we have developed a unique process – what we call the ‘1-2-3’ plan, which helps in focused development in the business context. Intention and focus are the keys to development!  

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