SAMPLE ONLY | Agencies may adopt this sample, or customise it to meet their needs
Guide the GROW coaching model
Use this simple tool to help structure coaching and mentoring sessions with employees.
GOAL – What are you aiming to achieve?
REALITY – What is the situation?
 Agree on a topic for discussion
 Agree on a specific objective for the session
 Set SMART goals
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Invite self‐assessment
Offer specific examples of feedback
Avoid or check assumptions
Discard irrelevant history
Possible goal questions:
 What would you like to get out of today’s
session?
 What feeling would you like to have when you
leave today’s session?
 What would have to happen in this session for
you to feel that the time was well spent?
 What should we focus on to make the best use of
our time?
 What would you like to have happen that’s not
happening at present?
 Is that realistic?
Possible reality questions:
 What’s happening at the moment?
 When does this happen?
 What effect does this have?
 What has happened since the last session?
 On a scale from one to 10, how do you rate the
situation?
 What’s working?
 What’s not working?
 What other factors impact the current situation?
How important is this to you?
Ask permission to ask hard questions
OPTIONS – How can we get there?
WRAP UP – What, when, and follow up
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Cover the full range of options
Invite suggestions
Offer suggestions carefully
Ensure choices are made
Possible options questions:
 Are there times when the problem does not
occur?
 What is different about those situations?
 How can you do more of what works for you?
 What has worked for you in the past?
 What can be done to change the situation?
 What options are available to you?
 What options do you see at this stage?
 From one to 10 how useful is this option?
 What’s the first thing you could do?
 What alternatives are there to that approach?
 Which option do you prefer?
 From the options we have discussed so far, which
option are you prepared to try?
Commit to action
Identify possible obstacles
Make steps specific and define timing
Agree on what support is needed
Possible wrap up questions:
 What are the next steps?
 What are you going to do?
 What actions are you going to take? When will
you take them?
 What might get in the way? How will you deal
with that?
 How can I help you in moving forward?
 How can you deal with the obstacles and still
get what you want?
 What support do you need?
 How will you enlist support?
 How are you going to keep track of your
progress?