Stages
To prepare a successful development plan, we recommend you to plan it in at least three different stages:
#1 Retrospective and planning
Let’s reflect on what happened in the past and start planning actions for improvement going forward.
Teammate’s reflection 🤔 | Manager’s reflection 🤔 |
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Learns from previous experiences B. and C. and puts the knowledge into practice. |
#2 Definition of the development plan
Session 1
Discuss the assessment of the previous year (#1 Retrospective) and trigger the conversation about the development plan.
Session 2
Align and define the development plan for the upcoming 6 months. The development plan should include a minimum of 1 SMART goal, which should be aligned with MOSTLY AI’s /wiki/spaces/MAH/pages/586219649 (or go to Leapsome > Goals > Company & team goals).
#3 Execution of development plan
The development plan should be a recurring topic of conversation during your 1:1s (check here how to create and manage a meeting on Leapsome).
If adjustments are needed, these should be agreed by both parts and must be recorded on Leapsome.
Important things to remember
As part of our benefits, all MOSTLIES have a 1000€/$ / year budget to invest on their professional development.
We use Leapsome to record the development plans.
Roles and responsibilities
Managers and teammates have different roles and responsibilities when defining the development plan.
Teammate will wear one hat 🎩 | Manager will wear a different hat 👒 |
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SMART Goals framework
S | M | A | R | T |
Specific | Measurable | Achievable | Relevant | Time-bound |
❌ generic A generic and weak goal would be ”I want to be a better public speaker.” ✅ precise | ✅ quantifiable A quantifiable goal is easier to track and achieve.
| Your goal should be realistic and attainable (but also ambitious). | Your goal should relate to your longer-term ambitions. Ex. I lack the confidence in public speaking, it is one of my weaknesses, and I feel it is holding me back in my career growth. | Set realistic timescales to achieve your outcomes. |
Approach
There can be different approaches to define a development plan:
Maximising existing strengths and competences.
Developing the areas that need to be improved.
Combining both a) and b)
There isn’t a magic formula, the best approach will depend on what needs to be achieved.
Tips
A good development plan should include:
Education - ex: read books, do online courses.
Exposure - ex: attend conferences, watch talks, shadow someone in a task.
Experience - ex: take on new responsibilities, lead a new project, start a new team initiative.
Action plan
A good action plan should be specific, customised to the individual needs, challenging but also achievable. The plan should also work toward benefiting the whole MOSTLY AI team and be aligned with MOSTLY AI’s OKRs and KPIs.
Some of the most common actions are:
Mentoring others (usually junior teammates)
Learning from a mentor (usually a senior teammate or an industry expert)
Completing development courses
Earning professional certifications
Cross-training for another position within MOSTLY AI
Networking and team-building:
Attending meetups, professional conferences or seminars
Presenting meetings, workshops, talks, etc
Organising team-building events (ex. MOSTLY Mini Meetups; MOSTLY Lunch & Learn)
Creating onboarding and learning programs for other MOSTLIES
Taking on more challenging tasks in their current role
Development plans
2022 Q3 presentation: