How to Build a Successful Personal Development Plan for Your Marketing Career
- Lisa Nell
- Jan 10
- 2 min read
I wanted to do a deeper dive into Personal Development Plans (PDPs) this month as we think about goals and growing at the start of a new year. A PDP is a great way to formulate a structured plan to enhancing and adding to your skills set.
What is a PDP?
The name really does give it away – it’s a plan to aide your continued development and growth which is very personal to you. It can be used for both personal and professional development.
What are the benefits of a PDP?
· It’s a considered pathway to help drive us forward
· It provides us with structure around our development
· You are more inclined to focus on your priorities with a PDP
· It helps us to increase our skills and also our confidence
· Our growth becomes more effective if you write it down and tick it off!
· A PDP will help you to think about where you want to grow as a person as well as professionally
What are the seven steps of a PDP?
1. Establish your purpose and direction
Ask yourself – what are you good at? What are you interested in? How does your development plan fit in with the bigger picture?
2. Identify development needs/gaps
To do this, do a SWOT analysis (or update your existing one if you already have one). Where are your perceived weak areas? Where do you see opportunities for yourself? You could also ask someone (e.g., your manager, a leader within your business or a mentor) if they have any observations/suggestions on likely improvement areas.
3. Look at development opportunities
Development doesn’t always need to be about taking a course. There are many other ways you can find development opportunities. These include work shadowing; secondments; reading; peer groups; networking, self study and of course formal training.
The rule of thumb for development is 70% should be on the job; 20% should be through others; and 10% through formal learning
4. Formulate an action plan
Think about what kind of learner you are and what sort of learning would suit you best. Honey and Mumford have a great summary of this which may help: https://www.bitesizelearning.co.uk/resources/honey-mumford-learning-styles
5. Undertake development
Set out a monthly/quarterly/yearly plan with timings and actions
6. Record outcomes
7. Review and evaluate
Check in with yourself mid-year to see where you are with your development. Ask yourself: what can I do better? Where do I still have gaps? Where am I struggling and could perhaps seek guidance? Do I have any further development needs? Is this style of learning working for me?
PDPs are a great way to keep ourselves growing because, ‘if you’re not growing, you’re stagnating’ as my mentor Bob Proctor always used to say! And if you need some accountability with your PDP, please get in touch and I’d be more than happy to support you.
You might find some helpful ideas here from CIM on what’s going to be key in 2025:
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