Individual Development Plan

We will explain and demonstrate ways to plan a skills inventory, set up an organization

chart, set job descriptions, establish an effective compensation and benefits statement, and use fourteen magic motivation methods. We'll also share some practical forms you can use to do all this.

Why are people so important?

1. Action. Without people, nothing much happens, even with lots of equipment. With people, a lot can happen, even with very little equipment. People make the difference, today more than ever because of much higher skill requirements.
2. Budget, Both today and tomorrow, they will cost more than just budget and action
3. Skills and abilities. Most business failures are a direct result of poor management. If you improve performance you improve your company's chances of success.
4. Quality of life. Good people management increases  morale, spirit and enthusiasm, so that one's career becomes part of one's quality of life. This stimulates productivity, action, creativity and progress.
5. Developing potential. Surveys show people seldom use a fifth of their abilities. Most people are underutilized! Good management recognizes this as an opportunity for everyone. Good procedures can bring out talents that even the individuals didn't know they had. Result: even low cost people are more valuable because they do more and enjoy doing it.

An inventory of human resources is a wise planning step. It makes as much sense as an inventory of equipment and supplies, time and finances, since all these together represent your weapons or tools for progress. You may also be in for some pleasant surprises, since many people have skills that are not recognized or used, but are available to you at no extra cost. Key elements in your inventory plan are a brief personal history, education, business experience, management experience, on the job training, experience in business, personal goals, hopes and dreams, personal interests, hobbies, unused skills and any special health precautions.

True, most of this is buried somewhere in the job application. But a special approach like this has several advantages for you: It is better focused, updates, refreshes memories and builds morale. After a series of management studies were carried out it was identified that simple interest and concern for employee well-being alone was a great motivator. This has been confirmed so often that it has now been named as the Hawthorne Effect.

A simple organization chart is also very important element of your people plan. It clarifies lines of communication and authority and shows who reports to whom. People who can't draw such a chart are penalizing themselves and their group by making relations vague and uncertain. Good companies have a clear picture of their organization, one way or another. Photo charts are especially effective.

Job descriptions are an essential part of the people plan. They should be prepared by the key personnel person but cleared with the CEO and supervisor. The advantages are that the employee, supervisor and everyone else knows what the person is supposed to do. Major mistakes in this area include:

1. Preparing no job description at all;
2. Making it too long, and including so many duties that these would be impossible for any one person to accomplish;
3. Using terms almost no one understands, even the writer, and sometimes appearing to be deliberately vague;
4. making no provisions for new, unusual, collateral or unexpected duties. Result: People say or feel that's not in my job description, so I shouldn't asked  to do it.
5. relying in the job description to cover every tiny detail, as well as to serve as a substitute for a supervisor and as a motivator.
6. Failing to get input from the applicant, incumbent or supervisor.

The best job descriptions give a clear picture of duties and the reporting system. They show and explain the relationship other people and in that sense might well include an organization chart. The person should not have to ask where do I fit in. Sentences are short and easily understood. Show the description to the applicant or incumbent in the same field and be sure that the statements are reasonable. Can't get too long.

A compensation statement should clearly indicate base salary plus fringe benefits, which sometimes approach the wages in dollar value. These fringes are increasingly important to employees and their families, and can be highly effective in motivating enthusiasm among workers. All compensation should be spelled out in some details. If competitively favorable, then most of this might be in an employee booklet or orientation handout. That way, employees can see it, read it, understand it, refer to it, take it home so the family can appreciate it, too. Many people do not realize the value of their total package, until it is added up for them.

Individual Development Plan

Basic Organization Chart

(Show titles and names)

You can add more detail for each functional department that requires more staff.

Job Description Form

Compensation Statement

Motivation Plan