Most managers don't wake up excited to fill out an Individual Development Plan, and most HR teams struggle to make IDPs more than another form in the system. The fix is structural, not motivational. This article shows how to write an IDP for managers that managers actually use, with a 5-part structure, a worked example, and the four HR practices that decide whether the program lands.
What is an IDP for managers? A development plan tailored to the leadership work a manager does (coaching, delegation, performance conversations) rather than the technical work they did before they were promoted. It follows the same structure as any IDP, goal, assessment, 70/20/10 actions, timeline, support, but the actions are weighted toward people-development behaviors. See what an IDP is for the broader context.
Why managers need their own IDP
Managers shape culture, engagement, and the career paths of the people around them. If they don't grow, the whole team stalls. The IDP is the artifact that makes that growth visible, time-bound, and supportable.
Most managers were promoted for technical strength, not people-development skill. The IDP gives them a structured way to build the skills the new role actually requires, with the company's support behind them rather than as a side hustle.
For HR, the manager IDP is a bridge between business strategy and individual growth. It shows where leadership capability is strong and where investment is needed, at the level of named individuals, not vague org-chart bands.
Goal, 70/20/10 plan, timeline-with-milestones, the minimum viable structure.
Not annual. Annual reviews are too slow for a 6-month leadership push.
Re-baseline once a year so the gap-closing is measurable, not anecdotal.
The IDP system
Manager IDPs: the practical guide
The 5-part structure of a manager IDP, a worked delegation example, and the 4 HR practices that decide whether the program lands. Deeper read on the methodology.
Read the guide
The 5-part core of a strong manager IDP
Writing an IDP for a manager doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need structure. Five parts, in order. Skip any one and the plan loses traction.
Clear development goals
Tied to specific competencies (delegation, coaching, strategic thinking), never vague "be a better leader".
Current assessment of strengths and gaps
Use 360 feedback, performance review data, or team engagement results. Make it objective.
70/20/10 action plan
Split actions across experience (70%), exposure (20%), and education (10%). Avoid "send to a course".
Timelines and accountability
Quarterly milestones. Embed reviews into existing 1:1s, not a separate process.
HR and senior leadership support
Name the resources: coaching, mentors, programs. Senior leaders model the practice publicly.
1. Clear development goals
Start with the "what." What does the manager need to improve or strengthen? Tie it to a specific competency, never a vague label. "Improve ability to delegate effectively and give the team room to decide" is a goal. "Become a better leader" is a wish.
2. Current assessment of strengths and gaps
Encourage managers to use data: performance reviews, 360 feedback, team engagement results. HR can support by providing the framework or platform that makes the assessment objective rather than impressionistic.
3. Action plan using the 70-20-10 model
This is where most IDPs fail. They become a list of training courses. Instead, balance development across experience, exposure, and education.
- Experience (70%): leading a cross-functional project, managing a change initiative, handling a difficult client relationship.
- Exposure (20%): shadowing a senior leader, getting a mentor, joining a peer coaching circle.
- Education (10%): leadership workshops, focused e-learning, targeted reading.
For the deeper treatment of how to design each layer, see the 70-20-10 framework applied to IDPs and the 70-20-10 split explained.
4. Timelines and accountability
Without a timeline, an IDP becomes wishful thinking. Set milestones. Example: "By Q2, delegate project ownership to two team members and hold monthly check-ins." HR supports by embedding progress reviews into the existing 1:1 cadence rather than creating a separate process.
5. Support from HR and senior leadership
Managers don't grow in isolation. HR clarifies what's available: coaching budgets, leadership programs, mentor pools, feedback tools. Senior leaders reinforce by modeling development themselves rather than treating it as something only individual contributors do.
HR's role in making manager IDPs work
Even the best IDP template fails if HR doesn't create the right environment. Four practices separate programs that work from programs that produce paperwork. For the patterns that kill programs before they start, see the top IDP mistakes companies make.
- Provide frameworks, not checklists. Give managers a clear structure but let them personalize it. Development is not one-size-fits-all. A short workshop on how to identify real development goals makes a measurable difference in plan quality.
- Integrate IDPs with performance management. Don't make them a separate annual exercise. Link them to regular 1:1s, goal-setting, and reviews so the IDP shows up in the conversations that already happen.
- Measure outcomes, not just completion. The question isn't "did the manager attend training." It's "did the manager delegate more effectively, did the team show improvement." Use behavioral indicators and feedback to track progress.
- Model development at the top. If senior leaders take their own IDPs seriously, managers will too. Culture follows what leaders do, not what they say.
Built for HR teams
Run manager IDPs at scale on Huneety
Skip the spreadsheet. Generate manager IDPs from competency assessments, track quarterly milestones, surface stretch-assignment progress, all in one workspace tied to the existing performance management cycle.
See how it works
If you'd rather see a manager IDP filled in before writing your own, browse the downloadable filled-in IDP template, three worked examples including a first-time manager.
Frequently asked questions
Huneety helps HR teams run manager development plans at scale, with competency assessments, quarterly tracking, and 70/20/10 action plans built in. Talk to our team about your next manager development cycle.