Goal Setting and Development Plans

From Insight to Action

🔄 Remember the active listening and powerful questions from our previous lesson? Those skills help people discover what they want to change. This lesson turns those discoveries into structured action plans.

The gap between insight and change is enormous. Someone can have a breakthrough in a coaching conversation and do absolutely nothing about it. Not because they don’t care—because insight alone doesn’t create behavior change. Structure does.

Goal setting and development planning provide that structure.

The SMART Framework

SMART goals are the foundation of effective development plans. But most people write weak SMART goals because they stop at the surface.

Weak goal: “Improve my public speaking.”

SMART goal: “Deliver a 10-minute team presentation with positive feedback from at least 3 colleagues by March 31, 2026.”

Element	Weak	Strong
Specific	“Improve speaking”	“Deliver a 10-minute team presentation”
Measurable	“Get better”	“Positive feedback from 3+ colleagues”
Achievable	“Become world-class”	“One team presentation”
Relevant	“Learn juggling”	“Team presentation (role-relevant)”
Time-bound	“Someday”	“By March 31, 2026”

Use AI to sharpen vague goals into SMART ones:

“My coachee wants to [vague goal]. Help me refine this into a SMART goal. Ask me clarifying questions about their context, then propose 3 SMART versions of this goal with different levels of ambition.”

✅ Quick Check: Take a goal you or someone you coach has stated recently. Can you rewrite it as a SMART goal right now? Test yourself before reading on.

Building Development Plans

A development plan connects the SMART goal to specific actions, resources, and checkpoints.

Step 1: Define the Goal

Use the coaching conversation to clarify what they want to achieve and why it matters.

Step 2: Assess the Gap

Where are they now vs. where they want to be?

“My coachee’s goal is [SMART goal]. Their current skill level is [description]. Create a gap analysis showing: current state, desired state, key gaps to close, and skills/knowledge needed.”

Step 3: Identify Development Activities

Different gaps require different activities:

Gap Type	Development Activities
Knowledge gap	Courses, reading, workshops, shadowing
Skill gap	Practice, projects, simulations, coaching
Experience gap	Stretch assignments, job rotation, volunteering
Confidence gap	Small wins, positive feedback, gradual exposure
Mindset gap	Coaching, reflection, mentoring, new perspectives

Step 4: Set Milestones

Break the goal into 3-5 milestones that create a path:

Example: “Deliver confident team presentations by March 31”

Milestone	Target Date	Activities
1. Research presentation techniques	Feb 14	Watch 3 TED talks with analysis, read presentation guide
2. Create and practice first draft	Feb 21	Draft slides, practice alone 3 times
3. Deliver to 2-person test audience	Feb 28	Present to trusted colleagues, collect feedback
4. Refine based on feedback	Mar 14	Incorporate feedback, practice 3 more times
5. Deliver team presentation	Mar 31	Deliver, collect feedback, debrief with coach

Step 5: Identify Resources and Support

What do they need to succeed?

People: Mentor, practice audience, technical support
Tools: Presentation software, timer, feedback forms
Time: Dedicated practice hours, meeting room access
Budget: Course fees, equipment if needed
Accountability: Check-in schedule with coach

The Development Plan Template

“Create a development plan template for someone whose goal is [SMART goal]. Include: goal statement, gap analysis, development activities organized by type (knowledge, skill, experience), milestones with dates, resources needed, potential obstacles and strategies to overcome them, and progress tracking method.”

Essential plan sections:

DEVELOPMENT PLAN
================
Name:
Date Created:
Review Date:

GOAL: [SMART goal]

CURRENT STATE: [Where they are now]

GAP ANALYSIS:
- Knowledge gaps: [list]
- Skill gaps: [list]
- Experience gaps: [list]

MILESTONES:
1. [Milestone] — by [date]
2. [Milestone] — by [date]
3. [Milestone] — by [date]

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:
- [Activity 1] — supports milestone [X]
- [Activity 2] — supports milestone [X]

RESOURCES NEEDED:
- [Resource 1]
- [Resource 2]

POTENTIAL OBSTACLES:
- [Obstacle 1] → Strategy: [mitigation]
- [Obstacle 2] → Strategy: [mitigation]

CHECK-IN SCHEDULE:
- Weekly: [brief progress check]
- Monthly: [milestone review]

Coaching the Goal-Setting Process

The coach’s role isn’t to set goals for people. It’s to help them set their own goals well.

GROW applied to goal-setting:

Stage	Application
Goal	“What do you want to achieve in the next 90 days?”
Reality	“Where are you now relative to that goal?”
Options	“What activities could help you close the gap?”
Will	“Which activities will you commit to? By when?”

Red flags in goal-setting conversations:

Goals that come from “I should” instead of “I want” (low ownership)
Goals set to please the manager rather than develop the person
Too many goals (focus on 1-3 at a time)
Goals without emotional connection (no compelling “why”)

Adjusting Plans in Progress

Development plans aren’t carved in stone. Review and adjust regularly.

Monthly review questions:

What progress has been made toward each milestone?
What’s working well in the development activities?
What’s not working and needs to change?
Have circumstances changed that require goal adjustment?
Is the timeline still realistic?
What support is needed for the next phase?

Exercise

Create a development plan using this process:

Identify a goal (yours or someone you’re coaching)
Refine it into a SMART goal using AI
Conduct a gap analysis
Define 3-5 milestones with dates
List development activities for each milestone
Identify potential obstacles and mitigation strategies

Key Takeaways

SMART goals transform vague aspirations into actionable targets
Development plans connect goals to specific activities, milestones, and resources
Gap analysis reveals whether the challenge is knowledge, skill, experience, confidence, or mindset
Break large goals into 3-5 milestones to maintain momentum and allow course correction
Plans need regular review and adjustment, not just creation
The coach facilitates goal-setting; the coachee owns the goals

Up next: In the next lesson, we’ll dive into Giving Feedback That Lands — the skill that turns coaching insights into behavior change.