What is the GROW Model?

As a leader, one of your most essential tasks is coaching employees to be their best. 

According to Gallup, organisations that strategically invest in employee development can double retention rates and see as much as an 11% increase in profitability.

Still, finding an effective coaching and development model can be challenging. Are you looking for the best way to help your employees reach the next level? 

The GROW model is an effective framework for improving employee performance to experience more consistent organisational success.

To improve how you develop employees, it helps to thoroughly understand the best coaching models. Here’s what you need to know about the GROW model and how to apply it to your business.

The GROW model is a proven framework for helping managers and leaders structure coaching conversations for more meaningful employee development outcomes. It’s a four-step system that focuses on asking the right questions to find and think through solutions independently.

The GROW model can be used to help leaders:

• Set goals and objectives for the quarter or year
• Explore options through scenario planning
• Identify risks, obstacles and resources in any given situation
• Develop concrete action plans with timelines and accountability measures  

The purpose of the GROW model is to train employees to take ownership of their own progress and think more strategically to improve problem-solving and decision-making.

Here’s the four-step process the GROW framework entails.

This first step involves identifying and clarifying your desired outcome. 

This may be a performance goal (such as increasing sales by 10%), a learning objective or a problem you need to solve.

The second step should help you understand where you are as an individual or team. 

You’ll assess strengths, roadblocks and resources that can help or hinder progress toward the goal.

Here, you’ll brainstorm potential solutions for any obstacles. As you explore each path, you must weigh the pros and cons before you decide on the best route.

In the final step, you’ll commit to a specific course of action. 

You will also set forth concrete steps, expected timelines and accountability measures for those involved.

Though the GROW model is straightforward, it highlights the advantages of on-the-job training using a more focused framework. Here are just some of the benefits it can provide.

Without a structured framework, coaching conversations can easily go off the rails. 

The GROW model keeps your coaching sessions productive and ensures employees walk away with clarity and a plan of action.

The GROW model doesn’t just tell your employees what to think – it helps you teach them how to think for themselves. 

This, in turn, increases their capacity to analyse situations and solve complex problems.

When you ask open-ended questions using the GROW model, you invite employees to participate in their own problem-solving and growth processes. 

They’ll take the time to devise a concrete plan and decide how to hold themselves accountable for following it.

Are you ready to build a strong training culture? Here are a few steps you can take to start using the GROW model with your employees.

The GROW model provides a straightforward framework to keep each coaching session productive and focused on a goal. 

Employees will not only walk away with a plan but will also feel confident that they can overcome any obstacles they face as they implement it.

You can use the GROW model to:

• Review the goals that were set in the last review
• Assess the reality of the employee’s progress
• Discuss any obstacles to meeting specific objectives
• Brainstorm strategies to overcome roadblocks

Then, you can set up a timed action plan with clear expectations for improvement.

The GROW model is great for team development because it invites engagement from every member.

Coaches can guide their teams in articulating their goals, identifying staff strengths and weaknesses, exploring solutions, and delegating tasks to complete the plan.

Consider the following tips for successfully using the GROW model in your organisation.

Start with open-ended questions, such as these examples:

• What do you want to achieve?
• What would success look like for you?
• What’s standing in your way right now?
• What have you tried so far?
• What do you think your options are?

Open-ended questions help employees explore their own thoughts and ideas. This fosters self-reflection, self-discovery and a greater sense of ownership.

If your employees feel judged, this could compromise a culture of trust and safety, which could hinder open communication. 

When employees feel supported, they are more likely to share creative ideas and take accountability for their progress.

Following up with your employees reinforces the importance of accountability. 

It can maintain motivation, provide opportunities for feedback and allow them to address challenges they may be facing.

Here are some issues you should avoid as you implement GROW frameworks for training and evaluation.

To be successful, you have to know what success looks like. If your goals are vague or unmeasurable, you cannot be sure that you have achieved them. 

Additionally, it may prove difficult to track progress or hold employees accountable.

Understanding the present situation is the first step in progressing past it. If you skip the reality stage, you cannot identify roadblocks and the resources needed to overcome them. 

You’ll also miss out on a chance to help an employee grow in self-awareness.

Implementing the GROW model is just the beginning. By tracking progress, you ensure that employees remain accountable for their success. 

You can also assess and make adjustments to the plan as needed. Tracking can keep employees motivated and focused, especially if you help them celebrate milestones.

The following resources can help you create an employee training plan that’s focused and effective.

Templates and worksheets can outline the process for you and give you a specific set of questions to ask your employees.

Using digital tools to track goals and processes makes it easier to stay organised. It also allows the coach and the coachee to remain invested in the process.