Professional Development Experiences Aligned to the Ideal Self: A Positive Psychology Perspective on Individual Development

The purpose of this study is to use a positive psychology lens to broaden and refine our understanding of professional development experiences, and to construct a practical, but evidence-based framework for a developmental human resource management (HRM) system. Study 1 uses focus group interviews with 18 full-time professionals enrolled in a management education program to explore experiences that are likely to strengthen and clarify one's aspirational future professional identity, or the ideal self. In study 2, two separate professional samples (N = 204, 271) are used for measurement development and hypotheses testing. Overall, the two studies show that 15 specific development experiences are particularly helpful in the formation of a clear and motivating ideal self for professionals in a wide variety of industries. As a practical application of the findings, a framework for a Developmental HRM System is proposed.