Generating a learning led change culture needs tools and commitment, both are realised through introducing personal development portfolios.

Many organisations have discovered that personal development portfolios placed at the heart of the learning process encourage holders to:

• diagnose their own needs,
• formulate their own goals and
• take responsibility for their own development and, consequently,
• work performance.

Linked to performance review and development (PRD) systems, personal development portfolios provide the holder with the opportunity to think through and do their own training needs analysis, manage their own learning and the application of learning within the context of the organisations business plan.

The consequence is that everyone is aware of they have a role to play in a planned developmental mission and with self-determination and self-realisation, a learning culture is established. When underpinned by work assignments personal development portfolios become even more significant as they then become the instrument in managing change.

With an appropriate support framework, including self examination systems and mentoring, personal development portfolios enables the learner to overcome alienation traditionally associated with:

• being told what to learn,
• how they should learn,
• what they should do with the learning.