GROW Model for Coaching Goal Reality Options Will What do you hope to achieve? What is your current position? What alternatives are available to you? What have you decided to do next? A practical and flexible approach to coaching, where each stage can be rehearsed and elaborated over a long or short term, providing clear areas for discussion and practice and for evaluation and refinement.
Stage 1 Establish the Goal Specific and achievable, at whatever scale End goals o Flexible and redefined as conditions change and progress develops Long term goals Goals for each coaching session o these should be determined by agreement for each session Performance goals o Relating what you want to achieve to how you want to achieve it Whose goal is it anyway? o The teacher, not the coach, is primarily responsible for determining the goal Revisit shifting goals o Keep a mental picture of how different goals at different scales build towards the longer term aim What would you like to achieve by the end of this coaching session? Which of these things is most important to you? (could use a 1-10 scale) Consider the bigger picture. What would you like to be different next year? Prompt a visualisation exercise draw and talk me through what success or improvement would look like? What is your priority for the immediate future? What would indicate to you that the next 30 minutes had been time well spent? How can I help you?
Stage 2 Establish Reality Establish precisely what is happening o Ask questions which invite description (what, not why) o Probe o Use of objective data o Video o Giving descriptive and honest feedback when asked Explore in-depth the contributory factors why it is happening Link goals to reality o Performance goals enable you to keep a reality check What happened when? Can you describe what happened when.? Did you expect that to happen? Has it happened before? What may have contributed to this? Use what and why questions together: what happened? I wonder why that should be so? Use why and why questions together: Why do you think that happened? I wonder why that should be so? What is one word you would use to describe/characterise that lesson/episode/aspect? Reflect back: Are you saying that? You seem to be saying. Have I heard correctly? I noticed. I was intrigued by. Can I make an observation? Would you like some feedback?
Stage 3 Consider the options Options = Choice = Control Generate as many options for action as you can o The coach can offer additional suggestions o The coach helps to categorise and assess usefulness, and feasibility of the options Recognise barriers to effectiveness Consider carefully the consequences negative and positive of each option o Weigh the risks, but weigh the caution as well What could we do? What could a teacher do in that situation? Soften (we) or depersonalise the issue; focus on strategies, not people What are all the different ways that we could approach this issue? What could we do if we were able to start with a totally clean sheet? What could we do if money and time were no object? (creative/imaginative speculation can open up achievable paths of action) What else might we do? And? Plant possibilities: I wonder what it would be like if.? Imagine what it would be like if? Would you like a suggestion from me? Would you like an another alternative? Can I make a suggestion? What would be the benefit of this option? How would we lose by doing it? What do we control about this situation? May I challenge your response?
Stage 4 What Will you do? Be specific with actions that meet criteria for success Build on the positive evaluation of past actions Consider potential of new actions, measure against goals Take 4 steps to increase the possibility of change: 1. Say what you will do aloud 2. You write it down 3. The first step is very clear 4. Take the first step quickly The coach offers support, permits risk Gauge personal commitment together Ok, we ve generated quite a few possibilities. Which one are you going to go for? Which option did you choose? Challenge: Why this course of action and not that one? Which option will give you greater results? On a scale of..? When are you planning to do this? What do you need to do first? How committed are you to making this change? On a scale of 1-10..? Can you summarise for me what you ve decided to do? If I can summarise what you have decided to do. Can I do anything else? What further help would you like from me? Would it be helpful if I came in when you tried this out? Would you like to run it through with me before the lesson?