Benefits of a professional Development Plan

I have reviewed the Professional Development Plan template and posted it to my wiki. The 6 elements of a Professional Development Plan are: (1.)TExES Domain and Competency addressed,(2) Objective, (3)Coursework/workbook/workshops utilized, (4.)Mentor/Professional support, (5) Expected date of completion and (6) Evaluation. Each of these elements are important for satisfactory completion of the plan.
I think it is highly important to develop a professional development plan for both personal and professional growth. It is obvious to me that without planning, the accomplishment of long term goals will be minimal if at all. The plan will benefit me by helping me to focus on my priorities, follow a timeline and guide me to evaluate the progress toward my goal. By identifying a specific goal, or a few goals, and developing a plan, I know what I need to be working on and I am able to gather the materials in an organized fashion, and contact and access any mentor or other key people that will be able to help. In addition, a timeline will keep me on task and an evaluation tool will help me to understand in which areas most emphasis must be placed.
In my career, I have utilized the process of setting both short and long term goals. The aspect of writing the goal down or verbalizing it to someone builds in accountability. It has helped me to clarify my expectations and to commit to the work that needs to be done in order to attain the goal. This Professional Development Plan that will carry on long after my certification courses are done will be a valuable tool for me as a leader.