Tools - The GROW Model

The GROW Model is a excellent framework for coaching, a key technique for project managers.

The acronym GROW stands for:

Goal (What is your goal?)
Reality (What is the current reality?)
Options and Obstacles (What are your options?  What is stopping you?)
Way Forward (How will you proceed?)

I've covered the GROW model before.  Today I cover the GROW model in the context of our new Tools Tuesday series by demonstrating the technique.

Coach:  What are your current goals

PM:  I want to relocate to the west part of the state where I hope to retire, and find a project management challenge to keep me excited and engaged up to retirement.

Coach:  What is your current reality?

PM:  I just finished a contract and am looking for my next challenge.

Coach:  What are your options?

PM:  I've been approached about a couple of opportunities in my desired location.

Coach:  What are your current obstacles?

PM:  Nothing is standing in my way.  I do need to land my next gig fast for cash flow purposes.  Thank G*d that I am in a good position financially.

Coach:  How will you move forward?

PM:  Continue to pursue opportunities in my desired locations - if I haven't landed well in three weeks, open a national job search.

Observations:

This model makes coaching sessions easy - and helps the coach to step back and allow the person being coached to do most of the talking

1. The GROW model works just fine for self-coaching sessions
2. Documenting a GROW session allows for easy follow up
• Illustrates changing goals
• Tracks progress against goals
• Identifies obstacles that the coach may be able to help eliminate

I recommend this model to any PM for use with project team members.

Growing with the GROW model

While I was out sick, we've had a new winner for the highest pageview count for a single post.  The brief writeup of the GROW coaching model blasted past the century mark to take the crown from the Baltimore Story (the ball is in your court Charles :)).

At the same time, I needed an outline for an issue paper this afternoon - and the GROW model worked very nicely in that context.

[Bob Grifiths reached out in the comments of that original GROW Coaching model post and appears top have a  lot to add to the discussion at his site: www.bobgriffiths.com


GROW (Goal, Reality, Options/Obstacles, Way Forward) - Try it - you'll like it :)

Coaching - The GROW Model

One of the things that can make or break a PM is the ability to coach team members.  I was introduced to a very good and simple coaching model in a recent webinar - the GROW coaching model.

Here is the Wikipedia entry:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model

I've begun sneaking this into conversations with the people I interact with, and my experiences have been positive.  The GROW model helps me organize my thinking and discussion, and this helps me be a coach instead of the role I often go to - problem solver.

Goal:  What do you want?
Reality:  What have you got now?
Options:  What could you do about this?
Way Forward:  What will you do?

I like easy and effective techniques.

Alan