Empower Growth: Introducing Baylor’s New Individual Development Plan (IDP) Guide & Template:
Baylor’s commitment to holistic wellbeing and professional growth continues with the launch of a new Individual Development Plan (IDP) Guide and Template, now available to all employees! This resource supports intentional goal setting across five dimensions of wellbeing—physical, financial, spiritual, mental, and professional—while emphasizing professional and career development as a key area for manager collaboration and tracking.
The IDP is a flexible tool that encourages employees to reflect on their strengths, interests, and aspirations, explore career paths, and create a clear plan for growth over the next 6–12 months. Staff and Faculty are encouraged to discuss their professional and career goals with their manager and document them in Ignite, fostering alignment, accountability, and support. This ensures continuity with organizational priorities and enables leaders to provide meaningful support and feedback.
The IDP planning process includes five key steps:
- Reflect – Clarify your values, strengths, motivators, and development opportunities.
- Explore – Learn about roles, skills, and career paths that align with your goals.
- Plan – Create 1–3 SMART development objectives using the IDP template.
- Execute – Take action, prioritize development, and document professional goals in Ignite.
- Measure & Re-evaluate – Track progress, seek feedback, and adjust development goals as needed.
In addition to outlining the individual planning process, the IDP Guide highlights the multitudes of organizational resources available at Baylor to support employees' growth. From tuition remission and our Ignite Learning Catalog of training courses to our professional development initiative called Grow@BU, Baylor offers a robust ecosystem of tools and opportunities to support both faculty and staff in their development journeys.
As a people leader, you play a vital role in supporting your team’s development. Use the guide to initiate meaningful conversations, help your team members identify learning opportunities, and encourage regular check-ins. When employees share their IDPs, you gain insight into their goals and can better coach, mentor, and advocate for their growth.
You can access the IDP Guide and Template on the Learn & Grow page under Career Tools. Consider sharing it with your team and using it to foster a culture of growth, engagement, and wellbeing!
