In the coaching/client relationship if the client is never brought to action then the two are essentially just meeting to have great conversations.

 

In the coaching conversation, through questions the client is pushed to think in new creative and stretching ways with the intention that the client is going to walk away committed to a plan of action with real steps.

 

Listening and asking questions are always the tools that are employed throughout.  Coaches do not start the conversation with exploratory listening and questioning only to take over when the strategy begins. Even when the client is brought to a place of strategic action, it is still the client that is discovering the solutions and developing the next steps.

 

Solutions developed by the client are more effective than those forced upon them because:

 

• They fit the personality of the client

• They fit the skills and abilities of the client

• The client knows more about themselves than the coach

• The client will be more committed to the things that they have developed than those that are developed by another authority

 

There are a number of different models that coaches follow to walk clients through this problem-solving process. We are going to share one popular tool: The GROW model so you can see how this works.

 

THE GROW MODEL

 

The GROW model provides a problem-solving track to run on as we’re listening and asking questions.  We only progress through each area as the client clarifies, confirms, and commits to them.

 

G – Establish the Goal

 

The goal is the end.  It’s where the client would like to be.  In an earlier module we discussed the need for goals to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-specific.  The goal is what you agree the action to be.

 

Example Questions:

 

“So what is the goal you’ve set for yourself?”

 

“How will you know you’ve been successful?”

 

“What does success look like?”

 

“How important is it for you to achieve this?”

 

“Why do you want to achieve this goal?”

 

R – Current Reality

 

Reality is agreeing “Where are you now?” and “What have you done to get there?”  Again, there is no moving forward until there is an understanding and agreement of where the client is right now.

 

“Talk me through what’s happening now…”

 

“What led up to this situation?”

 

“What barriers or obstacles have you faced?”

 

O – Options

 

Options are about the different ways the client can reach the goal – simply put: brainstorming.  As a result of listening and asking questions, the client will have come up with a number of different options of reaching the goal and will agree before moving forward.

 

“So what do you think your options are?”

 

“What’s the best thing about that option?”

 

“What’s the worst thing about that option?”

 

“What other approaches might bring you success with this?”

 

“What has worked for you in the past?”

 

W – WAY Forward (Action Steps)

 

Way forward is another way of saying “action steps.”  These are concrete steps that the client will be taken that ensure they will be actually doing something towards the goal.  These items are agreed upon by both the coach and client, and in subsequent meetings, the coach will ask for progress upon them.

 

“When are you going to start?”

 

“What actions are you going to take?”’

 

“Who will help you?”

 

“How are you going to make sure you do it?”

 

Action Steps must be:

 

• Clear – the client knows exactly what is expected and what they are supposed to do

• Committed to – the client must agree that they are committed to following through

• Scheduled – the client knows when each step will be committed.

 

MOST IMPORTANT

 

Just to restate: each step of the process ends in an agreement.  It is of the utmost importance that through each phase there is common understanding and concrete steps and agreements made so there is no confusion.  If there is confusion, then it is impossible to keep the client accountable.

 

Both the coach and the client are keeping notes and as each agreement is being made, the coach is restating it for clarity and getting final verbalized agreement.