GROW Coaching Model explained: the Basics

Article by: Jessie Sari

Last update: November 23, 2025

GROW Coaching Model: this article provides a practical explanation of the GROW Coaching Model. Next to what it is (and its origin), the article highlights how to use it, the different steps, the basis questions and the way you can use this during coaching, including tips and a GROW Coaching Model template. Enjoy reading!

What is the GROW Coaching Model?

The GROW Coaching Model helps one start coaching and mentoring in a structured and efficient way to improve performance. Based on a four-step plan, a coaching conversation can be conducted with another person.

The coaching framework mainly shows which questions can be asked and how the conversation should be completed, such that it yields clear results. The conversation partner actively clarifies the problem and suggests solutions. Consequently, the result will more easily lead to improvement and intrinsic motivation will be nurtured.

Introduction

The GROW Coaching Model includes all elements that are in the nature of a problem. For a problem to exist in coaching, there must be something that the client wants to achieve (goal) and an obstacle that prevents him or her from achieving the goal (obstacles). By using this coaching model, a problem is automatically divided into these parts.

This makes the model very suitable to be applied to any client problem. GROW is used for technical problems, process problems, interpersonal questions, strategy problems and many more. The model can also be used collectively, for example by a group of members working together on the same problem.

Origin

The GROW Coaching Model was originally developed in the 1980s by coaching executives Sir John Whitmore, Graham Alexander and Alan Fine. Sir John Whitmore is well known for his book Coaching for Performance.

How to use the GROW Coaching Model?

This coaching model assumes that the life coach isn’t an expert at his client’s situation. The coach is considered to be an objective facilitator, who helps the client to select the best options, without offering advice or direction.

If this model is used within teams, other dynamics are at play: As a leader, you probably have some expertise and knowledge. It’s your job to guide your organisation through the options and to prevent harmful ones.

Different Steps in the GROW Coaching Model including the basic questions

The GROW Coaching Model is a four-step plan. GROW is an acronym for Goal, Reality, Options, Obstacles and Will/ Way Forward.

figure 1 – the elements of the GROW Coaching model

1. Where are you going? (Goal / Objective)

The goal must be set first, both for the longer term (the theme or themes the coachee inputs for the coaching process) and for the meeting itself (what should the coaching session yield concretely?).

It’s important that the goal meets the SMART requirements: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

GROW Coaching Model: the questions to discover the objective

What do you wish to achieve (final goal and objective)?
When do you want to achieve it?
How do you know when you’ve reached your goal?
What situation would be satisfactory?
Is it measurable?

2. Where are you now? (Reality/ Current situation)

After the goal has been determined, step two explores the current situation. In this stage, it’s important to comprehend and refine the conversation theme. Here, the coach’s role is to encourage the coachee to engage in self-evaluation and analyse concrete examples. It’s important to hold onto the central theme and timely close irrelevant segues. By means of specific feedback, the coach is able to contribute to clarifying the core problem.

GROW Coaching Model: the questions to explore the situation

What is happening now?
Who are involved?
What have you achieved so far?
Which results has this yielded?
What are the most important obstacles for you?

3. Exploring options

The goal of step three of the GROW Coaching Model is to create ideas that can contribute to solving the problem. Free brainstorming is an important component in this step. The coach encourages the creative thought process in the coachee, categorises the output (for instance by writing things down) and suggests ideas if necessary.

Example questions for coming up with options

What options do you have?
What would a list of your possible actions look like?
What else could you do?
What are the pros and cons of the various options?
How easy or difficult are these options for you?
Do the various options have any undesired side effects?

4. Choosing from options + motivation + prepared (Will)

The fourth and final step is arriving at a completing conclusion. What option will the coachee choose that he/ she will take every effort for? This step is concluded with a clear action plan about who will do what within what time period.

Example questions for creating an action plan:

What will you do in concrete terms?
When will you do this?
Does this meet your goal?
What obstacles do you think you will encounter?
How will you overcome these?
Who should know?
Do you need help?
How will you get it?

The GROW model in modern organizations

The GROW model was originally devised for coaching, but today it has a much broader application in organizations than it used to. Teams are increasingly working in a hybrid manner, projects are running faster, and most organizations are moving from annual planning to short cycles. In such an environment, a simple, structured conversation feels like a breath of fresh air. It helps to clarify where you stand, what your goal is, and what steps are realistic. This makes GROW not just a coaching tool, but a way of thinking that helps to bring focus to your daily work.

GROW is becoming increasingly common in agile teams. It fits perfectly with short iterations in which you want to reflect and adjust quickly. By regularly testing goals and reality, you prevent teams from getting stuck in assumptions or wrong priorities. The conversation becomes more concrete and everyone knows where they stand. This creates more ownership and better decisions, without it becoming heavy or theoretical.

GROW also works surprisingly well in hybrid or remote teams. Because people work in different locations, it is important that goals remain clear and that misunderstandings are quickly identified. The model almost automatically forces you to communicate more clearly. By looking at options and next steps together, you will notice that collaboration runs more smoothly and that everyone has a better understanding of what is expected of them. In this way, GROW becomes a kind of framework that increases the speed and clarity of teams.

More and more organizations are also using GROW for talent development and performance reviews. Instead of long forms and pre-filled formats, they work with open and honest conversations in which the model provides structure. It makes conversations more human, more concrete, and much less charged. It is no longer about “assessing,” but about growing, reflecting, and making choices that fit someone’s development.

The role of the supervisor: coach or leader?

The GROW model is often explained from the perspective of a coach who mainly asks questions and provides little input. This works well in one-on-one coaching, but in organizations, the situation is often slightly different. Leaders and team leads have knowledge, experience, and context that is relevant to the conversation. It is therefore important to note that you do not always have to apply the GROW model purely as a coach. A good coach consciously chooses when to ask questions and when to provide direction, depending on what an employee or team needs at that moment.

In many teams, a combination works best. Asking open questions helps someone to think for themselves about goals, choices, and responsibility. But sometimes, as a leader, you recognize that someone is stuck, misjudging the situation, or simply has too little information to come up with a good plan themselves. At such moments, it is perfectly acceptable to steer or provide a framework. This makes the conversation clearer and prevents someone from feeling that they have to figure it all out for themselves.

The trick is not to be dogmatic with the model. GROW is not a straitjacket, but a structure that helps to guide good conversations. A strong coach alternates between coaching and advising, without taking over the conversation. By doing this consciously, you make the model much more powerful. It becomes a way to work together to clarify what someone wants, what is realistic, and how to get there, while you, as a leader, bring the experience that makes the difference.

When does the GROW model work less well?

Although the GROW model works well in many situations, it also has its limitations. For example, it works less well when goals are not yet clear or when someone is not really willing to take responsibility for change. The conversation then quickly becomes superficial, causing you to get stuck in abstract wishes. A good GROW session therefore requires clarity and honesty, otherwise the model will only be used to its full potential.

Another point to consider is that GROW is an open method. The model works primarily by asking good questions and not by directing or advising. In situations where the pressure is high, where there is little time, or where people actually need direction, using GROW can sometimes feel too noncommittal. In such cases, it is wise to combine the model with more robust forms of leadership or decision-making. This allows you to keep the conversations clear, but prevents people from remaining rudderless.

In addition, the GROW model can fall short if there are underlying issues that have nothing to do with goals or options, but with trust, safety, or conflicts. In such situations, GROW is more of a band-aid than a solution. The conversation must first focus on trust and cooperation before you can get started with goals and actions. By acknowledging this honestly, it becomes clear that GROW is a powerful tool, but not a miracle cure that solves every situation.

Coaching using the GROW Coaching Model

Below you find an example of a scenario in which the GROW Coaching Model is applied for coaching and mentoring purposes. Jasmine engages a coach to help her achieve her goal. Her goal is to reduce her weight from 85kg to 60kg within three months.

In addition, her goal is to stay at this weight after the three months. As this is a very personal goal for Jasmine, there is a good chance that she will work hard to achieve it.
An approach following the GROW Coaching Model is effective in this situation.

The reality section of the model requires Jasmine to acknowledge her weight as it is now. The coach then starts a conversation with Jasmine and asks various awareness questions. In this way, possible obstacles are identified. Examples of questions the coach can ask here are:

Have you succeeded in losing weight before? What made the difference for you then? What did you learn from the experience?
What are the differences between situations where you lost weight and situations where you gained it back?
What needs to change for you to make sure the weight comes off and stays off?

Asking the right questions by the coaches and honestly answering them by the client allows for new information to be discovered about what works and what doesn’t. It then becomes possible to use multiple strategies.

It then becomes possible to develop multiple strategies that avoid the identified obstacles as much as possible. Once the client is comfortable with a strategy, the way forward can be established through action points and goals. An example of this is preparing a healthy meal or buying fruit and vegetables.

Applicability of the GROW Coaching Model

You can already start working with this coaching model based on the information above. Important points are: ask yourself the questions, explore the reality and your options, draw up an action plan and follow up on yourself.

The coach often uses coaching skills such as active listening, creating report and the balance with leadership and providing feedback.

As a result, the GROW method is truly effective when it’s used by a professional coach. He will also choose the applicable method per client depending on the individual and the coaching and mentoring question.

GROW Coaching Model worksheet and template

Use this GROW Coaching Model template to use during a coaching session or its preparation. Available as an editable worksheet / template.

Download the GROW Coaching Model worksheet

This worksheet is exclusively for our paying Toolshero members. Click here to see if a membership is something for you!

Now it’s your turn

What do you think? Are you familiar with the explanation of the GROW Coaching Model or do you have anything to add? When do you think the coaching model is effective? What do you believe are success factors that contribute to the practical application of this coaching and mentoring theory?

Share your experience and knowledge in the comments box below.

Recommended literature on the GROW model for coaching

This literature ties in seamlessly with the above article. It deepens the theoretical basis of the GROW model and shows how to use the steps in practice in a more focused, effective, and impactful way. Ideal for readers who want to go a step further than the basics and strengthen their coaching conversations with more insight, structure, and professional depth.

Alexander, G., & Fine, A. (2010). From GROW to GROUP: Theoretical issues and a practical model for group coaching in organisations. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice. → Expand GROW to include group coaching; give your article a forward-thinking and innovative approach.
Deiorio, N. M., et al. (2022). Coaching models, theories, and structures: An overview for educators. Frontiers in Psychology. → Positions GROW among other coaching models.
Panchal, S., & Riddell, P. (2020). The GROWS model: Extending the GROW coaching model to support behavioural change. The Coaching Psychologist, 16(2), 12–25. → Provides a modern extension to GROW.
Parsloe, E., & Leedham, M. (2016). Coaching and mentoring: Practical techniques for developing learning and performance. London, UK: Kogan Page. → Combines coaching and mentoring models, including GROW; useful for comparing the model with alternatives.
Rahman, M. A. (2023). Professional development in an institution through the GROW model. Assyfa Learning Journal, 1(2), 89–103. → Practical example in an educational context; valuable for readers who want to use the model with teams.
Whitmore, J. (2017). Coaching for performance: The principles and practice of coaching and leadership. London, UK: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. → The classic and original source of the GROW model; ideal for giving your article a strong theoretical foundation.
Wilson, C. (2021). Performance coaching: A practical guide for creating breakthrough results. London, UK: Kogan Page. → Modern approach to performance dialogues in which GROW is explicitly reflected — beneficial for leaders and entrepreneurs.

How to cite this article:
Sari, J. (2018). GROW Coaching Model. Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/management/grow-coaching-model/

Original publication date: 01/01/2018 | Last update: 11/23/2025

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Article by:

Jessie Sari

Jessie Sari is a content writer at ToolsHero. Jessie studies Trade Management in Asia at the Hogeschool van Rotterdam. As part of her education, she focuses on building fundamental skills, including marketing, importing and exporting products and services in Asia, economy, finance, management, consultancy and project management.