Reviewing your Plans

Planning your personal and professional development is essential to achieving high performance, but plans have a habit of being overtaken by events. New opportunities will arise and circumstances change, making it vital to review your progress.

Monitoring your progress

At least once a year, you should review your progress against your development plan. Ask yourself questions such as:

Then review the plan itself to see if it still reflects what you want to do with your life. Think about whether your development has made your plan unfeasible, whether new opportunities have arisen, or whether your objectives have changed. Do you need to modify your plan or create a new one from scratch?

Development encompasses more than your position and progress at work. Successful people tend to be well rounded, with a variety of interests and experience, and they measure their success in terms other than how much money they have made and the status they have. Assess and review your own development by asking yourself questions about your current level of success—for example, how well you perform and are developing and learning, how you benefit from work, and how you look to your employer.

• Have I attained the goals I set myself in my plan? If not, why?

• Are my goals unattainable or are they just going to take a bit longer?

• What have I achieved that wasn’t in my plan? What new opportunities does this give me?

Scoring your success

How do I benefit from work?

Am I satisfied with:

• my level of pay?

• the benefits I receive?

• my work–life balance?

• the opportunities this job gives me?

• my current role?

How well do I perform?

Do I:

• work in a team that achieves work objectives and targets?

• consistently meet my own work objectives and targets?

• support my colleagues?

• have the experience and skills and the support and tools to do my job well?

How am I developing?

Have I:

• met the development targets I have set myself?

• kept my skills up to date?

• learnt something new at work this week?

• reviewed my development plan in the last six months?

How do I look to my employer?

Does my employer:

• think I am helpful?

• value my contribution?

• think I am promotable?

• trust and respect me?

• use me in projects beyond my role?