> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/360-feedback/how-to-use-your-individual-development-plan-idp.md). # How to Use Your Individual Development Plan (IDP) ## How to Use Your Individual Development Plan (IDP) Your 360 report tells you how you are seen. Your Individual Development Plan (IDP) is how you act on it. The IDP is a short, fillable template at the end of your report PDF, and it turns the feedback you just read into a small number of clear goals you can actually work on. This article walks you through how to fill it in and get the most from it. {% hint style="info" %} **Your IDP is yours.** It is your own development plan, written by you, for your growth. It is separate from Compass Action Planning, which teams use to act on organization-wide survey results. {% endhint %} ### Before you start Give yourself time to read the report properly before you plan anything. A few things to keep in mind: * **Look for patterns, not single scores.** One rating is a data point. A theme across several raters or several questions is a signal worth acting on. * **Treat blind spots as opportunities.** A blind spot is an area where you rated yourself higher than others did. It is not a failure. It is often the most useful place to focus, because it is where a small change is most visible to the people around you. * **Start from your strengths too.** The plan asks you to choose at least one strength alongside a development area. Building on what you already do well is just as valuable as closing a gap. ### Step 1: Choose what to work on Pick **one or two areas**, no more. The temptation is to fix everything at once, and it is the fastest way to lose momentum. Good candidates come straight from your report: * your **lowest-rated** development area, or the one carrying the **Lowest Rated** tag * the competency with the **largest blind spot**, where your self-view and others' views differ most * a **strength** you want to deepen or use more deliberately Choosing fewer areas is not doing less. It is the difference between a plan you finish and a list you abandon. ### Step 2: Complete the plan, field by field The template asks for one row per goal. Work through it in order. Here is what each field is asking for and how to answer it well. * **Current situation.** Describe where you are today in plain terms, using the feedback as evidence. Name the competency and what the report showed. * **Impact on workplace and/or team.** Say why this matters. What changes for your team, your peers, or your results when you improve here? This is what keeps the goal worth doing when you are busy. * **Steps required to reach goal.** Break the goal into small, concrete actions. Think small and meaningful: a few specific steps you can start this month beat one large step you keep postponing. * **Support and resource requirements.** List what you will need: time, a mentor or coach, training, a tool, or information. Naming this now makes it far more likely you will follow through. * **Milestones and by when.** Set a date for each step and each milestone. Make the dates realistic but firm. A goal without a date is a wish. * **Critical milestones.** Flag the one or two checkpoints that tell you whether you are on track. These are the moments to pause and take stock. * **Key success factors.** Name what has to be true for this to work: your own consistency, your manager's support, protected time, and so on. * **Risks: what might cause failure?** Be honest about what could derail you, then note how you will handle it. Planning for the obstacle is how you get past it. * **Submitted by and approved by.** Sign and date the plan, and have your manager or coach do the same. Writing it down and sharing it turns an intention into a commitment. {% hint style="info" %} **Make goals specific and observable.** "Communicate better" is hard to measure. "Open each team meeting by inviting input from two people who have not spoken yet" is something you and others can actually see happening. {% endhint %} ### Step 3: Have the conversation Your development plan works best when it is shared, not kept in a drawer. * **Schedule a one-on-one with your manager** to talk through your results and your plan openly. Their perspective helps you set priorities, and their support is often one of your key success factors. * **If your program includes a coaching session,** bring your draft plan as the agenda. A coach can help you turn the feedback into the right goals and pressure-test your steps. You do not have to share every score. Share the plan and the direction you are taking. ### Step 4: Put it into practice and review The plan is a starting point, not a finished product. * **Revisit it regularly.** Check your milestones on the dates you set. Small, steady progress compounds into real change. * **Adjust as you go.** New information, new priorities, or a step that did not work are all reasons to update the plan, not to drop it. * **Notice the wins.** When you complete a step or hear different feedback, mark it. Progress you can see keeps the effort going. ### A few good habits * Keep it to one or two goals. * Make each goal specific enough that you would know if you achieved it. * Attach a date to every step. * Share the plan with someone who will check in with you. * Come back to it. A development plan you review is worth more than a perfect one you file away. ### Related articles * [Understanding Your Report](/knowledge-base/360-feedback/understanding-you-report.md) * [Viewing and Sharing Your 360 Report](/knowledge-base/360-feedback/viewing-and-sharing-your-360-report.md) * [360 Feedback FAQ](/knowledge-base/360-feedback/360-feedback-faq.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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