Is your DAP lacking some spice – SmartEngineer provides the secret ingredient
To DAP [develop ‘an’ action plan] or not to DAP [deliver average performance] … that is the question???
With 2016 well underway, all engineers should have completed a Development Action Plan (DAP). All Institutions (and most companies) require this step in the personal development process, yet how people approach this step varies significantly. The fundamental question to ask yourself when writing your DAP is:
How can I be more valuable by the end of the year?
If only Steve had remembered his shirt on that fateful morning. He could have used it to mop up some excess water in the engine bay.
Effective planning….?
Part 1 – knowing where to focus. Focus is one of the key components yet having a framework to help identify areas is generally limited to organisational role competencies. The competencies do provide guidance but generally don’t complete the picture of what constitutes a ‘well rounded plan’.
Challenges to creating an effective plan typically revolve around time and value. Work/ life pressures will always compete but even spending 2hrs can make the difference. Value is harder to quantify, yet without some structure and direction you could end up, to borrow a line from Peter Drucker ‘doing something with great efficiency what should not be done at all’.
Without doubt, those on a fast track will be planning with care their route to the summit. For others, I suggest the following approach may begin a new friendship with your DAP:
- Keep it simple and try to partner with a peer to ensure motivation is maintained. Set a monthly catch up and gently hold each other to your goals.
- Pick an achievable and a stretch goal for each item to ensure success begins relatively early… ‘get some runs on the board!’
- Use a framework or two to provide guidance on creating a well-rounded plan. See below
Creating a well-rounded plan: Dorie Clark, author of Stand Out, offers the following development themes for a well-rounded plan, focusing on the two areas of – being a better [engineer] and driving your career….. both of which can require very different approach for success. Dorie’s themes are as follows: Learning / Connecting / Creating
Learning is self-evident, however begins effectively with a gap analysis to identify areas of focus. Connecting may be a new category for most but comprises expanding ones network to provide a more effective instrument for learning/ insights / career development.
Finally, creating is a lesser known, but possibly most valuable area to explore more. Dorie states:
Many people think of professional development as a more passive form of skills building. But creating content and sharing your insights is a valuable form of professional development on two fronts. First, the act of writing [or presentations etc.] forces you to crystallize your knowledge into a form that’s comprehensible and engaging to others. That sharpens your own understanding and prompts you to think more deeply about the issues. Second, one key element of developing yourself as a professional is cultivating your personal brand. When you share your knowledge publicly, your expertise can be recognised.
In summary, the DAP is a vital tool for driving development and ensuring a rounded plan will offer a more powerful platform for driving your career to the next level.
Part 2 – next article will explore in more detail the value of quality vs quantity, and judging what activities will drive success.
| Key messages
1) A plan is vital and does not have to be complicated to unlock real gains 2) A well rounded plan ensure expertise and career are developed in parallel 3) Use simple frameworks and insights from others to create a tool that works for you 4) Partner with someone to help maintain momentum
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