Creating an Individual
Development Plan
Creating an Individual Development Plan
As part of the People Brand standards, employees have the opportunity to participate in a structured career
and development planning process. Within the framework of Individual Development Plans, employees
assume primary accountability for their career by creating and driving their own Individual Development Plans
in partnership with their supervisor.
Success and development mean different things to different people. Individual Development Plans are
intended to be personalized, addressing individual needs, preference and capabilities. With this in mind, the
Development Plans of two individuals will never look alike.
When should I create a Development Plan?
There are many different reasons to create an Individual Development Plan. As a starting point, there are
several key areas that you should consider:
Your Strengths and Areas of Opportunity
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What are your strengths? How can I build on those strengths?
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What are your areas of opportunity? What are your potential blind-spots? Could these potentially
prevent you from reaching your career goals?
Your Career Aspirations
Careers at Hyatt don’t have to follow a traditional career ladder or path with one pace and only one direction.
Rather, they can be customized and adapted based on your individual circumstances and take the form of a
career lattice. Multiple paths can lead to your career goals, allowing for change of direction, increase or
decrease of workload or role responsibilities, or change of career pace.
Reflect on your work style and work preferences and consider:
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What is important to me in my current role?
What do I prefer to be constant or similar in a different role?
Do I prefer working in teams or in an individual contributor role?
Do I prefer interacting directly with guests or working behind-the-scenes in a support role?
Reflect on your career and career aspirations and consider:
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What does success look like to me?
How fast do I want my career to progress?
Am I willing to travel or re-locate?
How flexible am I with my time and schedule?
What other personal factors may influence my career goals?
The answer to any or all of these questions may be a reason to establish an Individual Development Plan, or
multiple Development Plans, to expand your abilities and enhance your personal satisfaction and sense of
achievement in your current or future roles.
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How do I create a Development Plan?
Using the previous questions as a starting point, there are four steps to creating an Individual Development
Plan:
Step 1:
From the previous exercise, identify the goal or purpose of your Development Plan.
Step 2:
Identify the objectives of your Development Plan. What behavior are you trying to enhance
or knowledge are you are trying to achieve?
For example, if your Development Plan is focused on your recent performance review, your objectives may be
to Enhance your Communication Skills or Expand your Collaboration Across Departments. If your
Development Plan is centered around a future career interest – for example a General Manager position – your
Development Plan may include objectives such as Greater Exposure and Knowledge in Food & Beverage or
Understand Hotel Financials.
Step 3:
Identify the Action Steps to complete each Objective and How Success for each Action
Step will be Measured.
Within Hyatt, there are many different ways to achieve your development objectives and they vary by role,
location, timing and availability. As a guide, consider that development happens formally and informally, and
should be planned for the next 12 to 18 months.
Regardless of the type or nature of your Action Steps or
development objectives, they will typically fall into three
categories:
Experiential Learning includes practical, hands on and
observational activities. Experiential learning should account
for approximately 70% of development activities. Examples
include:
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Cross Exposure, Job Rotation or Job Shadowing: this
includes exposure to a different department, function,
hotel, brand, office, etc.
Stretch Projects: this includes individually assigned
projects as well as participation in group projects such
as rolling out new standards, products or technology
Task Force Assignments: this relates to a short, fixedterm assignment in another property or office (e.g. new opening, take-over, etc.)
Extra-curricular Activities: such as community involvement on a board, participation in Hyatt Thrive
initiatives, involvement with peers in an organization to share ideas and learn best practices, etc.
Networking: participating in networking events, meetings and conferences
Coaching and Mentoring: Employees can participate in both Coaching and Mentoring support. Coaching is
more informal and typically occurs on a needs-basis, where Mentoring is more formal in nature, supporting
long-term learning. Coaching and Mentoring should account for approximately 20% of development activities.
Formal Learning is planned learning and occurs within a structured learning setting. Formal Learning should
account for approximately 10% of development activities. Examples include:
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Internal Learning & Development courses
External Educational Courses such as lectures, seminars, or short-term education programs
Guided Reading: assigned periodicals or recent books, podcasts or web feeds
What is important in this step is to include, with each action step, how success will be measured. Consider
including applicable metrics, behavioral changes and impact, follow up conversations with supervisor and
direct reports, plan completion, etc.
Step 4:
Finalize your plan by identifying the expected timeframe to complete each Action Step.
The last step in the process is to finalize the details of your plan by indicating a time frame to complete each
Action Step. Your completed plan will include: your Development Plan purpose or goal; the Objectives you set
to achieve the goal, the specific Action Steps you identify to achieve each of your objectives and a time frame
to complete each Action Step.
An example is provided below for a Development Plan focused on a future Career Interest in the General
Manager role.
Development Plan Focus
Development Objective #1
Future Career Interest – General Manager position
Enhance Communication Skills
Objective Action Steps
Before sending out an important communication, I will check with
my manager first for input and suggestions. Success in this area
will be achieved when I check back with my manager each month
for the next 4 months and verify I have been consistent in
soliciting feedback before communicating to others.
Due Date:
Objective Action Steps
Commit to communicating with others face to face more frequently
rather than in e-mail or voice mail. Success in this area will be
achieved by checking in with my manager monthly for the next 4
months (in conjunction with the item above) to verify I have been
sending less e-mails and am meeting more face to face. In
addition, I will solicit input monthly for the next 4 months from 2
other managers whom I interact and verify I am effectively
pursuing face to face communication
Due Date:
Objective Action Steps
January, 2012
Complete the on-line learning course, Communication Skills, in
Hyatt Leadership Network. Success in this area will be measured
by completing the course and debriefing lessons learned with my
manager.
Due Date:
Development Objective #2
Objective Action Steps
January 2012
August, 2013
Increase Exposure in Food & Beverage
Meet with F&B Director to understand operation.
Due Date:
December, 2012
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Development Objective #3
Increase Exposure in Engineering
Objective Action Steps
Meet with my Director of Engineering. Create a schedule to learn
more about engineering responsibilities. Success in this area will
be achieved once a schedule has been completed and I have
been exposed to at least three key areas in Engineering.
Due date:
July, 2012
Below, a template has been provided for you to build a Development Plan or multiple Development Plans.
Some employees may have access to Hyatt’s Talent Hub where you can create and update your Development
Plans electronically.
Development Plan
Goal or Purpose
Objectives
Objective
Action Steps
Anticipated
Completion Date
How do I engage my supervisor in this process for support?
While this system will automatically send your development plans and plan updates to your supervisor for
approval, you should periodically schedule time with your supervisor to discuss your development and career
interests. In these meetings, you can expect that you and your supervisor will actively participate in your
development discussions, providing input and finding consensus. The communication should be honest and
the feedback should be balanced and constructive.
When you schedule time with your supervisor to discuss your development plan or plans, prepare to discuss
the following:
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What type of support do you need to achieve your identified development objectives?
What type of support do you need to achieve your career goals?
Using the metaphor of Individual Development Plans as a more long-term investment plan, this will be the main
format to use in any coaching session between you and your supervisor. Development planning does not ever
end, but should be continuously updated and adjusted as you follow your career goals.
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