Ask great questions

    Managers report a lack of time (29%) and not having all the answers (17%) as the biggest challenges in coaching others. BUT… coaching is an approach, not an event that needs to be scheduled. Employees most value sharing insights and experiences (18%) and helping solve work challenges on their own (15%) as well as recognition (15%) – not direct advice. (The Coaching Conundrum Report, 2016.)

    Ask Great Questions
    Coaching doesn’t have to take a lot of time and you don’t need to be an expert to be an effective coach. You just need to ask the right questions.

    The GROW model is a simple, easy to use four-step model to coach anyone: employees, supervisors, peers, teams, family members, and even yourself.

    GROW is an acronym that stands for:

    • Goal
    • Current Reality
    • Options
    • Way Forward

    The key to using the GROW model is asking great questions. Using questions, you guide your coachee to make better decisions, learn new skills, improve performance, and reach their goals.

    Here are questions following the GROW model to try:

    Goal
    Start by establishing a goal. It could be a performance goal, a development goal, a problem to solve, a decision to make, or a goal for the coaching session.

    Use questions to get specific:

    1. What topic do you want to discuss?
    2. What do you want from this discussion?
    3. What goal do you want to achieve?
    4. What would the benefits be if you achieved this goal?
    5. What are the consequences if you do not reach this goal?

    For clarity, use a S.M.A.R.T. goal format (see links to guide below):

    • Specific
    • Measurable
    • Attainable
    • Realistic
    • Timely

    Current Reality
    This step in the GROW model clarifies the current situation—what’s going on. Hint: Limit the time spent here.

    1. Briefly, what’s been happening?
    2. What have you tried so far?
    3. What were the results?
    4. What’s your sense of the obstacles for you? For others?
    5. Is the goal still realistic?

    Options
    Here you want to create as many ideas as possible. All ideas should be considered – don’t jump to judge.

    Questions to help explore options and generate solutions:

    1. If anything was possible, what would you do?
    2. What has worked for you already? How could you do more of that? What could you do differently?
    3. If you were watching this conversation, what would you recommend? What else?
    4. Do any of these ideas interest you enough to explore further?
    5. If you were to do this, how might you go about it?

    Way Forward
    This is the last step in the GROW model. You want to make sure that there is a commitment to act.

    Questions to get to a specific next step:

    1. Does this option interest you enough to take action?
    2. How will you go about it?
    3. What might get in the way?
    4. How might you overcome that?
    5. What and when is the next step?

    What’s next?

    A GROW conversation, following the model, should only take 20 minutes.  You should spend about 10 minutes in Options and no more than 5 minutes in Reality. It’s quick!

    Using this simple and effective model, coachees uncover their own way forward. You don’t need to have answers, only great questions and the belief that, however well we are performing, we all have the capacity to perform even better.

    InsideOut Coaching Templates:
    GROW Worksheet - Coaching for Breakthrough Performance
    Conversation Planner – Coaching for Alignment
    S.M.A.R.T. goal format
    InsideOut Coaching course
    VIDEO: Performance Management at Yale FY2020