Something phenomenal has happened recently in my workplace—anentire behavior shift that I at first believed would never take hold in our fast-paced,ever-changing environment. I decided to put learning in the employee’s hands inthe form of an Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
Our company culture advocates the “51 percent” rule, whichdictates that employees determine what to work on and go after it with a zealnot commonly found in a typical organization. In other words, no rules, noasking permission, but instead just do it. And so I figured: Why not take thatapproach in employee development, too?
Every road trip starts with a good map. Whether electronicor an old-fashioned paper map, good up-front planning allows for a moresuccessful outcome (including seeing all the famed attractions) and potentiallythe trip of a lifetime. So, imagine a world where your employees know exactlywhat they are good at, what they need to work on, and what tools to explore ontheir path to self-development. It is possible—with some up-front planning andtargeted conversations throughout the year, coupled with a detailed document,the Individual Learning Plan. I am a strong proponent of the almighty (andhighly underutilized) ILP. Learning plans are the customized, individualizedroad map for your employees to ensure they are aware of both the skills theyneed to develop and a defined path toachieve those skills.
Your ILP should contain a minimum of three things:
- Learning objectives
- Strategies and resources
- Evaluation
Essentially, ask the employee to document answers to thesethree questions:
- What do I need to learn?
- How am I going to learn it?
- How will I know that I learned it?
Allow the employee to search for resources internally andexternally. Suggest a mix of self-paced seminars, courses, and learningsituations to develop the identified weak skill.
For example, let’s say you have an employee who needs todevelop their communication skills. You might have an internal training sessionon that specific topic. Or perhaps this employee would be better served bylearning and practicing communication skills with an outside resource—or maybesigning up for a group that meets weekly is a better fit. Perhaps there isanother employee who has honed their communication skills to perfection andcould provide guidance to this employee. Whatever the resource, let theemployee figure out the best fit. But guide the employee with resources theymight not be aware of. There is no one path to reach the desired destination;allow the available resources and best fit to define the route. During this process,the employee receives targeted feedback on how they are doing that getsdocumented in the learning plan, too.
No one likes to search aimlessly for the correct exit ornext tourist destination, so provide a road map so that your employees canreach skill nirvana while dealing with the day-to-day challenges of completingtheir job tasks. The employees benefit from better self-esteem and higherproductivity, the company benefits from employees who feel nurtured andsupported, and ultimately, everyone reaches the intended destination in a moreeffective, positive manner.
Surprisingly enough, at a recent all-companymeeting, ILPs were mentioned in several sessions. It appears the entirevernacular of the company now includes the Individual Learning Plan as a pathto employee development—and ultimately engagement—that the employee controls,drives, and benefits from in their career path.
