Coaching: The Grow Model

The GROW Model is one of the most established and successful coaching models. It was created by business coaches Graham Alexander, Alan Fine, and Sir John Whitmore and made popular by Sir John Whitmore’s book: Coaching for Performance.

GROW stands for:

• Goal.
• Current Reality.
• Options (or Obstacles).
• Will (or Way Forward).

While it is “coaching” technique it can be used for mentoring, goal setting and problem-solving. It is simply a model to base your questions on. The GROW Model provides a powerful tool to maximise potential through a series of sequential coaching conversations. It is about raising awareness and responsibility. When going on this journey and asking these questions, it is important to keep probing deeper.

Step 01: the Goal

What do you want?

Start by setting the goal. When coaching this would be looking with your colleague at what they want to change or achieve. Then once identified, structuring this into a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound). You might like to ask questions such as:

• What do you want?
• What is the aim for this discussion?
• What are you trying to achieve?
• How would you like it to be?
• What does that look like?
• What does success look like?
• What will you be saying to yourself?
• What will that enable you to do?
• What will other people be saying to you?
• What will you have that you don’t have now?
• Imagine 3 months from now, all obstacles are removed and you have achieved this: What do you see/hear/feel? What new elements are in place? What is different?
• How will you know when this goal has been achieved?
• How will you know that the problem or issue is solved?

Step 02: The Current Reality

Where are you now? What is the current reality?

Wherever you are now – this is the starting point. This is what you build upon to reach your goal/solution.

You might like to ask questions such as:

• What is happening now (what, who, when, and how often)? What is the effect or result of this?
• How important is this to you?
• Have you already taken any steps towards your goal?
• Does this goal conflict with any other goals or objectives?
• On a scale of 1– 10, if an ideal situation is 10, what number are you at now? What number would you like to be at?
• How do you feel about this?
• What impact is this having on you?
• How does this impact other areas of your life?
• What are you doing that takes you towards your goal?
• What are you doing that is getting in the way of your goal?
• Who else does it affect?

Step 03: The Options

Once you have explored the current reality, it’s time to determine what is possible – meaning all of the possible options for reaching the goals/objective. Brainstorm together as many ideas as possible. These can then be discussed and the best ones can be picked out.  Let your team member offer suggestions first, and let them do most of the talking. It’s important to guide them in the right direction, without actually making decisions for them.

You might like to ask questions such as:

• What could you do?
• What ideas do you have?
• What alternatives do you have?
• Is there anything else?
• If there were anything else, what would it be?
• What has worked in the past?
• What steps could you take?
• Who could help you with this?
• Where could you find out the information?
• How could you do that?
• What if this or that constraint were removed? Would that change things?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?
• What factors or considerations will you use to weigh the options?
• What do you need to stop doing in order to achieve this goal?
• What obstacles stand in your way?

Step 04. Establish the Will

By examining the current reality and exploring the options, your team member will now have a good idea of how they can achieve their goal. You now should turn this into specific actions and commitments to help them move forward towards the goals.

You might like to ask questions such as:

• From the options, which would you actually pursue?
• So, what will you do now, and when? What else will you do?
• What help or support do you need?
• What could stop you from moving forward? How will you overcome this?
• How can you keep yourself motivated?
• When do you need to review progress? Daily, weekly, monthly?
• What will you do?
• How will you do that?
• When will you do it?
• Who will you talk to?
• Where will you go?
• Is there anything you need to put in place before that?
• How committed are you to taking that action?
• What will it take for you to commit to that?
• What deadline will you set for yourself?

Finally, decide on a date when you’ll both review their progress and revisit.