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2. Learning & Development

GROW

The coaching conversation's spine

Use when

Any coaching conversation, or teaching managers to stop giving answers

GROW, shown as a sequence of 4 parts: Goal, Reality, Options, Will.
  1. 1

    Goal

    What do you want from this conversation, specifically?

  2. 2

    Reality

    What is actually happening, with examples, and what have you already tried?

  3. 3

    Options

    What could you do? Generate several before judging any.

  4. 4

    Will

    What will you do, by when, and how will I know?

“Questions before suggestions. If you are doing most of the talking, it is instruction, not coaching.”

How to use it

The power is in the order: most managers jump from a thin version of Reality straight to their own Option. Watch-out: GROW assumes the person has the answer in reach; for a true skill gap, teach instead of coach (see Mager & Pipe).

Card details

Model type
Sequence
Origin status
Established
Content last reviewed
28 July 2026

Origin

Established

John Whitmore, Coaching for Performance, 1992, developing work with Graham Alexander and Alan Fine.

Used in these workflows

Performance Management

Neighbouring models

70-20-10Four levels of training evaluation (Kirkpatrick; Phillips)ADDIE (with SAM as the fast loop)Capability academiesBloom's taxonomyTransfer design
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