Coaching and teaching organizations, including companies, universities, and educational institutions, are always on the lookout for tools to smoothen their goal management and problem-solving processes. 

In the 1980s, Sir John Whitmore, co-founder of Performance Consultants, along with colleagues Graham Alexander and Alan Fine, designed a coaching model driven by a practical coaching philosophy. They termed it the GROW Coaching Model, and it’s used in those above organizations regularly. 

What is the GROW Coaching Model?

GROW coaching model is a highly powerful tool used for coaching across disciplines and organizations. It finds its applications in meetings, problem-solving, business coaching, and goal management areas, to name a few.

The acronym GROW stands for: 

Goals: The aspirations of an individual, group, or organization. In simple terms, it answers the question, “What do you aspire for?”This part of the model seeks to identify the objectives that would motivate the employees and keep them energized.

Reality: This indicates the current situation where the individual, group, or organization in question is in. It also includes the internal and external barriers or obstacles that lie in their path to attaining their goals. It answers the question, “Where are you now?” This section focuses on helping the team or the organization frame questions to identify their core competencies to leverage them.

Options: This segment throws light on the possibilities, alternatives, and strengths to move forward toward the attainment of the goals. The gaps between the objectives and the reality are bridged by options. The more creative and proactive the teams are, the better chances would emerge. This answers the question, “What are your abilities or choices?”

‍Will: The final and most crucial element of the model is Will. Will refers to the extent of commitment, accountability, and initiative that the individual, team, or organization is ready to offer towards the achievement of the goals. This answers questions like, “What is your intent now?”, “What is your commitment on a scale of 6-10?” As ‘Will’ is integral to accomplishing anything, it forms the most crucial pillar of this four-pillar model.

The GROW model is successful across industry verticals and helps promote productivity, performance, and self-satisfaction. The model also suggests the formulation of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals that can be revisited regularly.

Why is the GROW model important?

Around the time the GROW model was created, organizations were dealing with challenges related to conducting effective performance management discussions, goal-setting, and problem-solving exercises. 

The GROW model offered solutions to these issues. Through the model, John Whitmore emphasized that organizations need to focus on awareness and accountability in growth and professional development sessions to drive business outcomes. 

Organizations felt the need to have a systematized and structured approach with a set of questions to answer at each stage towards goal accomplishment. This requirement was met by Whitmore’s GROW model.

The model outlined the four simple, yet often ignored steps:

• Set the goals
• Analyze reality
• Explore options
• Establish an action plan

The GROW model greatly simplifies and optimizes the performance management process, helping engage and motivate employees.

The GROW Model: A Real-Life Example

Here’s a quick example of how the GROW model works in real life: Suppose an individual team member lacks good presentation and communication skills. The coach or mentor can apply the GROW model this way:  

Identify the goals 

• Improve verbal communication
• Improve written communication
• Enhance presentation ability

Analyze the current situation

• Difficulty in expressing clearly-formed thoughts and opinions
• Lacks proper sentence formation abilities and vocabulary
• Hesitation in speaking to a crowd
• Lacks the ability to create appealing slides

Exploring the possibilities

•  Courses in English speaking
•  Reading to improve vocabulary
•  Tutorials for tools like PowerPoint, Canva, etc.

Establishing action plans 

• Take up courses in speaking or English classes
• Practice presenting in small groups
• Spend time learning best practices for presentation tools       

GROW Coaching Model Benefits

The model has been admired and is still used today by leaders, change management consultants, and managers around the world. The GROW model offers myriad benefits:

• Goal management and problem-solving exercises are no longer a challenge. The model simplifies these tasks by dividing the procedure into easy steps.
• A coaching and mentoring philosophy has been formulated. This serves as a guide not only for business organizations but also universities and educational institutions due to its outstanding results.
• The steps outlined in the model are logical and methodical, making them applicable in any case – individuals, teams, or an organization, as a whole.
• The model emphasizes the ‘Will’ component. Teams and individuals realize that the success or failure in the accomplishment of objectives depends only on their commitment to change. This makes them feel more accountable for their performance.
• The model can be applied in many different ways and places, including meetings, performance management discussions, leadership discussions, and, of course, in professional development programs.
• Working through the stages of the model can offer greater clarity to the employee goals and serve as a roadmap towards achieving them.
• The model plays a key role in enhancing employee engagement and performance across industry spaces.

About GrowthSpace

GrowthSpace’s L&D platform is revolutionizing L&D. In just a few weeks, employees receive maximum benefits from the world’s best expert trainers, coaches, and mentors. If you wish to bring a positive change to your learning operations, get in touch. 

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