Leveraging the GROW Model to Generate GROWTH
More professional development (PD) professionals are learning coaching skills to help them in their roles. When we are coaching a colleague, the G-R-O-W (Grow, Reality, Options, Way Forward) coaching model can provide a great framework to structure goal-oriented conversations. And it doesn’t just work when coaching, it can also work well when mentoring or advising colleagues. The key is to ask open-ended questions and listen actively.
In everyday terms, a GROW conversation can be viewed in the context of a journey:
-Where do you want to go?
-Where are you now?
-What are ways to get to where you want to go?
-How committed are you to getting there?
GROW is easy to remember and provides a simple but flexible framework for discussions. Some conversations may be linear and progress smoothly through GROW. Others may need you to revisit an earlier element and move back and forth as the conversation evolves and expands. GROW alone is helpful but to maximize the potential of a conversation and enhance its effectiveness to support your colleague’s ongoing efforts, you can incorporate additional elements, namely Tactics and Habits.
And, as it happens, by adding Tactics and Habits, we end up with GROWTH.
The GROWTH model underpins the overarching strategic aspect of goal setting by incorporating specific Tactics. In other words, we can work with our colleagues not only to define what they want to achieve but also to figure out the precise steps to get there. As for Habits, these are the disciplines we need to sustain change and make it stick.
So, what are the elements of a GROWTH focused conversation?
G – GOALS
Setting the Foundation for the Conversation
The GROWTH model begins with establishing clear and specific goals. Possible coaching questions include:
-What do you want to achieve?
-What would you like to have happen that isn’t happening now?
-Where do you want to be this time next year?
-What do you want to do differently?
TIP 1: SMART-ify the Goal: By applying the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) methodology to goals and breaking them down into components, you can add granularity to the goal-setting process. This should help make goals more actionable and achievable.
R – REALITY
Getting Grounded in the Here and Now
The reality-checking phase involves a candid and holistic assessment of the current situation. Possible coaching questions include:
-What will happen if you do nothing?
-What is in the way of you achieving your ideal outcome?
TIP 2: With any journey, it’s hard to get to your destination if you don’t know where you are starting. By reality-checking, you can help your colleague get clear insights on where they are right now in relation to their goal(s), what’s ahead in their journey and what they need to get there.
O – OPTIONS
Exploring Options and Creating Possibilities
In the options phase, your colleague gets to explore what options are available to them. You may want to help guide your colleague through a brainstorming exercise to encourage more creative thinking. Possible coaching questions include:
-What options do you see for yourself?
-What are ways you can achieve what you want?
-A classic coaching question that is helpful during the options phase is “What else?” This helps uncover your colleague’s full range of options.
TIP 3: While options are great, it’s worth using a structured approach to assess the risks and opportunities associated with each option. This enables your colleagues to make informed decisions and choose what they see as the best way forward.
W – WILL/WAY FORWARD
Committing to Action
This phase enables your colleague to determine which option(s) they want to pursue and how committed they are to taking action. A potential coaching question is:
-On a scale of 1-10, how likely is it that you will do what you’ve outlined?
Assuming a high-level of commitment leads your colleague to determine and take responsibility for actionable next steps, this takes us to…
T – Tactics
Specific Actions Designed to Have Impact
Tactics are the “details” of how your colleague will take their chosen option and achieve their goal(s) in practice. To promote do-ability and a progressive sense of accomplishment, it pays to break down the next steps into manageable tasks. You can help your colleague identify small, actionable steps that they can implement immediately to make progress. Possible coaching questions include:
-“What is one action you can take to get started?”
-“What else?”
TIP 4: Action Planning: By developing a detailed action plan, your colleague can identify specific tasks, deadlines, milestones, and resources they need to implement their intentions effectively. You can also help your colleague establish an accountability mechanism.
H – Habits
Sustaining Growth through Consistency
With the final letter of the GROWTH model, we recognize that in order to support and sustain our colleague’s ongoing growth and development, they will need to build new habits. Possible coaching questions include:
-What new habits can you incorporate into your routine that will support the changes you are making?
-How can you ensure that you stay on track with what you have decided to do?
TIP 5: Encourage your colleagues to incorporate time for reflection into their process — where they assess their progress, what they are learning, and what’s in the way. This establishes a continuous feedback loop, helps to build adaptability and resilience, and allows them to adjust their tactics when necessary.
TIP 6: By making it a habit to seek and incorporate feedback from others, your colleagues can ensure that they have an ongoing reality check based on real-time insights. They can use this feedback, where appropriate, to identify ways to enhance their skills or build new ones.
Reproduced from NALP Bulletin+. ©2024 National Association for Law Placement, Inc. (NALP). All rights reserved. For reprint permission, please contact the NALP office at 202-835-1001 or email info@nalp.org.
