Leadership

The GROW Model: What It Is and How To Use It (Plus FREE PowerPoint template)

The GROW Coaching Model: What It Is and How To Use It (Plus FREE PowerPoint template)

GROW Coaching Model PowerPoint template by Sir John Whitmore

The GROW Coaching Model by business coaches Graham Alexander, Alan Fine, and Sir John Whitmore is a famous coaching model to support people to do their best.

GROW coaching model - Introduction

Coaching is a way to support others in their professional and personal development. It can help them navigate challenges, identify areas for improvement, and achieve their goals.

The GROW coaching model can be an effective tool for coaches working with clients in any type of coaching relationship. The structure is designed to guide you through the process of asking questions that will lead to greater insight on the part of your client and stronger relationships with them as a result.

Ultimately, it helps coaches meet their clients where they are and support their growth rather than assuming they know best or expecting them to follow along based on past experiences.

The acronym stands for: Goals, Reality, Options, and Will.

Let’s take a look at what each of these letters stand for and how you can use them as a tool when working with individuals in one-on-one or in a team environment.

The GROW coaching model PowerPoint template helps your structure your coaching sessions.

Coaching vs Mentoring

There are many different types of coaching and mentoring relationships.

Coaching is a one-on-one relationship where the coach provides guidance and advice to a client.

Mentoring is a more formal relationship between two people who are not necessarily related in any way, but both want to help each other achieve success in their respective fields. The mentee (person being mentored) is someone who is looking for advice and guidance, and the mentor (the person giving that advice and guidance) is someone with experience or knowledge who can help them reach their goals.

There are some important differences between coaching and mentoring. While both are mentorship relationships, coaching focuses on specific tasks or goals. This can be anything from career growth to personal development, whereas mentoring focuses on any area of life where someone needs help. Coaching also has an explicit goal, which means there’s a clear outcome in mind when you start the process, while mentoring doesn’t always have to have one goal in mind. This can make it easier for mentors to give more general advice without getting too specific about what they want their mentee to do next.

Developing Good Leaders: The Key to Company Success

A good people development strategy enables leaders to uncover and develop the strengths of their people. It does that by helping you understand the talents and motivations of your people so that you are able to assign them to roles that play to those strengths and motivations.

When people feel that their strengths are not being leveraged or their development needs are not being met, they are more likely to leave. Having a good people development strategy enables you to identify potential leaders early so that you can develop them more quickly and effectively to meet organizational needs.

What is the GROW coaching model for coaching?

The GROW coaching model by Sir John Whitmore is a simple yet powerful template for structuring coaching sessions. As a leader, one of your most important roles is to coach your people to do their best.

Who developed the GROW coaching model?

In the late 1980s, Sir John Whitmore and colleagues created the GROW Model to assist individuals in unlocking potential and seeking out new opportunities in talks, meetings, and everyday leadership. It has since become the most popular coaching paradigm in the world for problem-solving, goal planning, and performance enhancement.

What does the acronym GROW mean?

The acronym GROW was first developed by American psychologist John Whitmore. It is designed to help coaches and facilitators guide their clients through the coaching process.

It is a great model for both one-on-one and team coaching relationships. Each letter in this acronym represents a different element of coaching that you should consider when guiding your client through the process.

The acronym GROW stands for:

Goal
Reality
Opportunity / Obstacles*
Will / What next / Way forward

Goals refers to the desired outcome or the reason for the coaching engagement. Reality refers to what the present situation looks like for the client. Options are the possible courses of action available to the client. Will refers to the client’s motivation to take action and implement the changes they desire.

What are the elements of effective GROW coaching?

GROW coaching: Goals

The first step in the GROW coaching model is to identify the client’s goals. You can ask questions like

What are you hoping to achieve (or with our team)? or
What is your ultimate vision for your future?

Note that the goal you’re working toward is not “improving your relationship with your manager” or “being more effective in your role.” Instead, it’s something like “reducing the amount of time it takes you to close deals” or “increasing your confidence speaking in front of groups.”

GROW coaching: Reality

Next, you’ll want to explore the current reality — the facts of the situation as it currently exists.

What does their work environment look like?
What are the relationships like with their manager and peers?
What are their skill and knowledge levels?

You can use coaching questions like “Tell me about your work environment” or “Describe your typical day” or “What are some of the challenges you face in your role?” to help identify the current situation and reality.

GROW coaching: Options / Obstables

The next step in the GROW coaching model is to ask about the options. In other words

What choices do they have?
What path could they take?
What are their possible responses to the current situation?

You can do this by asking questions like “What are your options for addressing this challenge/problem?” or “What other ways are there to reach your goal?” Asking about their possible responses helps you identify the range of action they’re considering. It’s also a way for you to learn about their thought process and approach to problem-solving so you can support them better.

GROW coaching: Will

Finally, you’ll want to explore your client’s will.

What are their reasons for taking action?
What are their motivations for making changes?

These are questions you can ask to explore the client’s will: “Why do you want to reach this goal?” or “What are your reasons for making these changes?”

These questions are designed to help you get a deeper understanding of the client’s mindset. You can also ask “What are your reservations about making these changes?” or “What are some of your fears?” These questions can help you identify any barriers that might exist.

The GROW Model Explained for Coaches

The GROW model is a framework that coaches use to help clients set and achieve goals. It stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Will.

Goal: The first step is to help the client identify and clarify their goal. This includes setting a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goal.
Reality: The second step is to help the client understand their current reality. This includes identifying any obstacles or challenges that may be preventing them from achieving their goal.
Options: The third step is to generate a list of options or potential solutions to address the challenges or obstacles identified in step 2.
Will: The final step is to help the client develop the motivation and commitment to take action and implement the chosen solution. This includes identifying any resources or support that may be needed to achieve the goal.

The GROW model is a simple and effective framework that coaches can use to help clients set and achieve their goals. It provides a structured approach that can be adapted to suit the needs of the client and the specific goal they are working towards.

Wrapping up

The GROW coaching model is designed so that you can follow this process in any given coaching session.

By asking the right questions at the right time, you can individuals or teams navigate challenges, identify areas for improvement, and achieve their goals more effectively. By using the GROW coaching model, you can help identify their goals, explore their current reality, consider their options for addressing challenges, and understand their motivations for making changes.

Our GROW coaching model template is an effective tool for coaches in any type of coaching relationship.