Origins
The GROW model was developed in the UK in the 1980s by coaches Graham Alexander, Alan Fine and John Whitmore. It became widely known through Whitmore's book Coaching for Performance (1992). It can be used not only by professional coaches but by any leader in a developmental conversation.
Four stages
| Stage | Purpose | Example questions |
|---|---|---|
| G - Goal | establish what the person wants | What do you want to achieve? How will you know you've succeeded? What do you want from this conversation? |
| R - Reality | honest description of the situation | What is happening now? What have you tried? What is getting in the way? Who is involved? |
| O - Options | explore possibilities | What could you do? What else? What would you do if there were no constraints? |
| W - Will / Way forward | commitment | What will you do? When? How committed are you (1-10)? What support do you need? |
Principles
- Open questions instead of advice - the aim is for the person to find the solution and take responsibility for it.
- Flexibility - you can return to earlier stages (e.g. revise the goal after looking at reality).
- Concrete ending - the conversation ends with a clear step, cf. SMART goals.
- Whitmore stressed that the essence of coaching is building awareness and responsibility, not technique.
When to use it
The model works well in conversations with animators and co-workers about their goals, difficulties and growth. It does not replace instruction where a person does not yet have the competence (see situational leadership), nor spiritual accompaniment. See coaching and mentoring.
Sources
J. Whitmore, Coaching for Performance, Nicholas Brealey 1992 (5th ed. 2017) A. Fine, You Already Know How to Be Great, Portfolio 2010 G. Alexander, Behavioural coaching - the GROW model, in: J. Passmore (ed.), Excellence in Coaching, Kogan Page 2006