Title: The Individual Development Plan IDP: Creation and Sustainability
1The Individual Development Plan (IDP)Creation
and Sustainability
- Denise M. Douglas, Ph.D.
- Associate Dean
- Rachel Begley, Manager
- Postdoctoral Affairs
- Office of Postdoctoral Affairs School of
Graduate Studies
2Discussion Topics
- Why is an IDP important?
- Postdoc Responsibilities
- Taking Control of Your Career
- Next Steps-Developing Your IDP
- Sample IDP
3Why is an IDP Important?
- Helps you to identify both short-term and long
term goals - Milestones along the way can be acknowledged and
celebrated - Serves as a communication tool between postdoc,
faculty mentor, and others
4NSF Mentoring Requirement for Postdocs
- For proposals submitted after Jan 5, 2009 that
request funding to support postdoctoral
researchers there is additional information
required on mentoring activities - Mentoring activities include career counseling,
training in preparation for grant proposals,
publications and presentations, guidance on ways
to improve teaching and mentoring, etc.
5Sigma Xi Postdoc Survey
- In 2005, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research
Society, conducted a landmark postdoc survey
designed to improve the training and research
environments for postdocs by providing a better
understanding of their experiences. - Information was gathered from 7,600 postdocs at
46 American research institutions on such issues
as pay, working hours, benefits and many other
factors.
6Survey Findings
- Among other things, survey data suggest that
administrative oversight and structured training
can significantly enhance the quality of
postdoctoral experiences and may bring about
increased research productivity. - Research/career plans for postdocs provide a
framework of accountability and responsibility,
and indeed, Sigma Xis survey data showed that
postdocs with such plans were considerably more
productive than those without. - Source Geoff Davis, Principal Investigator,
Sigma Xi Postdoc Survey
7Postdoc Responsibilities
- Obtain the experience necessary to advance in
your career - Contribute through your research accomplishments,
publications, presentations, etc. - Take charge of your own professional development
actively seek opportunities outside the
laboratory (e.g. professional development
seminars and workshops in oral communication,
scientific writing, and teaching) to develop the
full set of professional skills necessary to be
successful for your chosen career. - Â Communicate!
8Intentional Change Theory
The Ideal Self
The Real Self
Practicing new behaviors
Strengths where my Ideal Self and Real Self
overlap
Trusting Relationships that help. support, and
encourage each step in the process
Experimenting with new behaviors
Gaps where my Ideal Self and Real Self differ
My Learning Agenda building on strengths while
reducing gaps
Richard E. Boyatzis, 2001.
9Taking Control of Your Career Self Assessment
- Ideal Self
- Real Self
- Strengths
- Gaps
10Self Assessment Ideal Self
- How you view your knowledge, skills and abilities
- Values, philosophy, purpose and aspirations (what
you want out of life) - Sometimes based on facts that you collected
along the way - Lack of self-awareness may cause inflation or
deflation of the ideal self
11Real Self
- How others view your knowledge, skills and
ability - Receive this type of feedback through performance
reviews and other assessment opportunities - Seek out feedback from others
12Strengths/Gaps
- Strengths where your ideal self and real self
are similar - Gaps where your ideal self and real self are
different - When setting goals, balance is important
13Defining Goals
- Meaningful to you
- Have concrete action steps
- SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Realistic, Timeframe)
14Defining SMART Goals
- Specific be able to answer who, what, where,
when, why - Measurable establish a criteria for measuring
progress - Attainable if it is important to you it becomes
attainable - Realistic Are you willing and able to work on it
- Timeframe Helps you establish and endpoint
15Defining Goals
- Common Roadblocks
- What if you dont accomplish the goals you
established? - What if I dont like to write things down?
- Is this really useful beyond my postdoc position?
16Developing Your IDP
- Opportunity to create a sustainable document
- Useful practice in all industries
- Helps you to articulate to others who may be
interested (networking tool)
17Sample IDP
18The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
- Denise M. Douglas, Ph.D.
- Associate Dean
- denise.douglas_at_case.edu
-
- Rachel Begley
- Manager, Postdoctoral Affairs
- rachel.begley_at_case.edu
- Nord Hall 6th Floor
- 216-368-4390
- http//www.case.edu/provost/gradstudies/postdoc.ht
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