PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
(PDP)
EMPLOYEE GUIDE
Internal
April 2017
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Contents
Part 1: Preparing ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Part 2: Discussion .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Before the meeting: ...................................................................................................................................... 4
During the Meeting – What to Expect: ......................................................................................................... 4
1.
Opening the Meeting: Your manager will review the purpose of the meeting and the purpose of
the Professional Development Process ........................................................................................................ 4
2.
Reviewing Performance ....................................................................................................................... 4
3.
Review Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 5
4.
Discuss Next Steps................................................................................................................................ 5
5.
Close the meeting ................................................................................................................................ 6
Part 3: Finalizing.................................................................................................................................................... 6
Appendix ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
Additional Resources for Employees ................................................................................................................ 7
PDP Employee Checklist................................................................................................................................ 7
Tool to Prepare for PDP Meeting.................................................................................................................. 9
Techniques For Active Listening ................................................................................................................. 10
Receiving Feedback Exercise....................................................................................................................... 11
Communication Guidelines......................................................................................................................... 12
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Part 1: Preparing
Set time aside to attend your PDP meeting with your manager
Revisit your SMART objectives set at the beginning of the year
Gather and review data about the your performance throughout the year
Review your performance log/journal, professional development activities, key job
assignments, work accomplishments, projects, and initiatives you have completed
Review any feedback from others (clients, peers, etc.) relevant to your performance
Review your job description – make note of any significant changes to discuss with
your manager
Write down questions that you want to ask your supervisor
Consider your strengths and areas for improvements
Note and provide examples of your strengths
Begin developing a plan for improving upon any areas of challenge, identify support
available as well as actions your manager can take to help you
Be prepared to talk about your performance and receive both positive and constructive
feedback
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Part 2: Discussion
Before the meeting:
Arrive on time
Remove/turn off any potential distractions in the meeting space
Have your review notes available for reference
Typical PDP Agenda – What to Expect
1. Open the meeting
2. Review employee's performance
3. Review employee's objective completion
4. Discuss next steps
5. Close the meeting
During the Meeting – What to Expect:
1. Opening the Meeting:
Your manager will review the purpose of the meeting and the purpose of the Professional
Development Process
Ask your manager any questions that you have
Be open-minded, respectful, and prepared to discuss your performance
2. Reviewing Performance
Discuss your perceptions of your performance over the past year
 Use concrete examples to illustrate your accomplishments
 Detail any challenges that you have experienced
 Propose ideas for improvement
Discuss your manager’s perceptions of your performance over the past year
 Solicit both positive and constructive feedback
 Be prepared to discuss discrepancies
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Tips and Tricks for
3. Review Objectives
Review your performance against your SMART
objectives that were set at the beginning of the
process
the Meeting
 Participate in two-way
 Celebrate successes first, then identify
conversation
 Invest in your own
areas for improvement
 Were you successful? If not, why?
Discuss with your manager what was and was
not achieved
 Be open and prepared to hear feedback
about your performance
 Work through challenges and solutions
with your manager
development – be engaged
 Be respectful and calm
 Be transparent and honest
 Get ready to listen….stay
focused and don’t interrupt
 Listen for the whole message,
hearing before evaluating
 Use Active Listening Skills –
 Consider potential training – provide
(see graphic on next page)
training, coaching and other options to
 Seek first to understand.
your manager for consideration
 Ask questions for
 Ask for your manager’s help and
suggestions in supporting you
clarification.
 Take notes.
 Use open body language --
Be receptive to feedback
Ask questions, listen, and participate actively
throughout the meeting
lean forward, eye contact
 Seek specific, descriptive
examples of incidents, trends
 Paraphrase your
4. Discuss Next Steps
Start thinking about new objectives, including
objectives for learning and development and
career development that you would like to set
for the upcoming year
understanding of what you
heard
 Ask for areas for
improvement/growth and
seek resources
There will be a separate meeting after the year
 Accept praise and
end review to set SMART objectives for the
constructive criticism
upcoming year
graciously….don’t deny it
 Disagree diplomatically. Use
“I” messages instead of “You”
messages.
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5. Close the meeting
Summarize and confirm with your manager the
meeting’s outcomes, next steps, and estimated
timing
Ask any questions before leaving – or
follow up later if you have
questions after the meeting
End the meeting on a positive
note!
Part 3: Finalizing
Ensure any training, workshops, or other solutions discussed in the PDP meeting are
scheduled
Update all PDP forms in the online Talent Tools
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April 2017
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Appendix
Additional Resources for Employees
PDP Employee Checklist
Employee Name:
Department:
Manager Name:
Job Title:
Date:

Ongoing (Prior to Meeting)

I have discussed with my manager and understand:
o Department/University standards of performance
o My roles and responsibilities
o SMART objectives, professional learning and development objectives and career
development objectives, as well as any accompanying action plans


I have regularly documented my performance throughout the year
I have received regular feedback and coaching in the past year from my manager
Planning
 I have accepted my manager’s invitation for the PDP meeting and I understand its purpose
Preparation
 I have reviewed my performance log/journal, notes from self-monitoring my performance, and
well as feedback/recognition received from others regarding my performance over the past year
 I have reviewed my objectives, learning and development objectives and career development
objectives and have noted achievement and/or progress
 I have gathered concrete data and examples that demonstrate my performance
 I have sought feedback from the my peers and clients, if applicable
 I have prepared questions in advance for my manager
 I have reviewed the resources available to me, and have prepared myself to talk to my manager
about my performance, feedback received, achievements and challenges
Participation








I was on time and prepared for the meeting
I actively participated in the PDP meeting
I discussed performance expectations and my level of performance
I discussed my SMART objective achievements
I worked with my manager to identify challenges and solutions
I discussed next steps with my manager – new objectives, training and support and career
development
I asked clarifying questions to make sure I understood what was expected of me
I provided suggestions to my manager on ways that he/she can support my development

I was receptive to feedback
Finalizing
 I ensured any agreed upon training, workshops, etc. are booked
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
I updated PDP documents – online tool
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Tool to Prepare for PDP Meeting
Describe your most significant accomplishments during the past year.
Describe any barriers or challenges during the past year that have impacted your performance
or ability to complete your goals.
List your areas of strengths.
List your areas of improvement.
What skills or abilities would you like to develop to improve your performance?
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April 2017
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Techniques For Active Listening
Active listening is an important skill that takes both time and practice to acquire. It is an
essential component of productive discussions because it allows for the respectful exchange of
ideas. This handout will help you to understand and practice this skill.
 Listen in order to fully understand what is being said to you.
 Rephrase what you heard the person say so you can be sure you heard correctly.
 Ask questions that help you get more information. For example, “What did you mean
when you said…?”
 Offer encouragement and support.
 Ask how the person feels. Be careful not to assume that you know how the person
feels.
COMMUNICATION BLOCKERS
Blaming and attacking.
Lecturing/moralizing.
COMMUNICATION ENHANCERS
Asking for more information and problem
solving together.
Making eye contact, leaning toward the
other person, giving full attention.
Showing empathy, validating the other
person’s feelings.
Staying silent until the person is finished
speaking.
Withholding judgment.
“Yes…but” statements.
“Yes…and” statements.
Being distracted or using other body
language that is non-attentive.
Dismissing or making light of someone’s
problem.
Interrupting.
Explanation and Diagram adopted from Tutu and Franklin: A Journey Towards Peace Teachers Guide, a production of Wisdom Works, Inc.
(www,wisdomworks.net)
60 Masonic St./Northampton MA 01060/TEL 800.897.0089/413.584.8500/FAX 800.659.6882/
413.586.8398/[email protected]/www.mediaed.org
This handout may be reproduced for educational, non-profit uses only. ©2005
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April 2017
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Receiving Feedback Exercise
Think about a time when someone gave you feedback on your work. Check off the box if you…
Actively listened to the feedback provided
Tried to understand the other person’s point of view?
Took notes so that you could review and apply the suggested changes?
Avoided taking the feedback personally?
Focused on what could be learned by this experience and how things could be done differently in the
future?
Asked for clarification if/when you did not understand a comment?
Thanked your colleague(s) for taking the time to provide you with feedback?
Use the table below to reflect on what you did well and what you could improve the next time you receive
feedback during the PDP.
What I Did Well…
What I Could Improve Upon Next Time…
For example, I used active listening skills and asked
questions to clarify the feedback given to me
For example, I did not takes notes because I was
hurt from receiving negative feedback.
Adapted from Government of Canada’s Working with Others Tip Sheet,
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/essential-skills/tools/workingothers.html, (2009)
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April 2017
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Communication Guidelines
Source: Stanford University, https://stanford.app.box.com/v/communication-guidelines, (2015)
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