As a manager, you should:

• understand your department's plans and priorities
• understand how the different roles in your team support the departmental plan and how these translate into individual objectives
• understand the knowledge, experience, skills, behaviours and attitudes needed in your team
• be meeting regularly with your team to talk honestly about how work is going

By doing this you should see where your staff need extra training or development (or some other kind of support) to improve their performance.

You can also:

• take into account the implications of new or changed roles
• Encourage your staff to think about how and in what direction they would like to develop (within the context of departmental plans and priorities)
• consider encouraging your staff member to request coaching to help maximise their potential.

Record and review development needs

Use the annual performance review as a formal opportunity to discuss, plan and record any development needs for the forthcoming year. Performance review forms include an area for development actions - this should be completed at or shortly after the performance review meeting.

Set out the agreed actions, support and timescales for meeting the development needs. Review it regularly in informal discussions throughout the year, both to check on progress and to update the plan in light of any changing requirements or priorities.