Coach through a crisis with the GROW model
When you think of a coach, what comes to mind? For many, it’s likely tied to sports.
While sports coaches are tasked with the development and performance of athletes, in the business world, coaching is something quite different. We all have the capacity to coach and help each other achieve personal growth and organizational success.
So, what is the GROW model, and how does it relate to coaching in the business world? The GROW framework, a popular performance coaching technique, can be boiled down to three basic behaviors:
- Active listening
- Asking good questions
- Allowing others to process and arrive at their own conclusions
Sports coaches are likely better characterized as teachers or mentors. They direct, teach and give answers, while coaching in our world is more about helping people arrive at their own answers through a solution-focused approach.
When I contemplate how coaching can be helpful in times of crisis, I envision a stressful moment between two colleagues. Recently, clients from the healthcare industry have been sharing that due to long hours, fatigue and worry, stress levels have risen and commensurately, so have conflicts.
The challenge with stressful times is that we tend to revert to our autopilot behaviors governed by the behavior centers of our brains. Often called the lizard brain, it’s where our fight, flight, freeze and fawn responses originate. When fear and worry arise, they can stimulate an emotional response — which is sometimes very strong. This can lead to us expressing these emotions in ways that have an impact on those around us, potentially hindering employee engagement and team development.
This is where coaching comes in. Regardless of levels within relationships, being an intentional listener and coach can help the other person de-escalate, process and come up with a way forward. Executive coaching and performance coaching can be particularly effective in developing self-awareness and problem-solving skills.
One method is called the GROW model of coaching. This is highly effective in situational coaching, as in crisis-elevated moments. Adapted from Max Landsberg’s book, “The Tao of Coaching,” the GROW method is simple and easy to follow. When someone approaches you with a problem, follow these four steps of the GROW coaching technique:
- G: Goal. Ask the person what outcome, or goal, they would like to create. This step involves goal setting and helps in establishing clear SMART goals.
- R: Reality. Confirm the reality of the situation (ask them to consider not just their reality, but the perspectives of those around them). This reality assessment helps identify obstacles and aids in decision-making.
- O: Options. Ask them what options they can envision to achieve the outcome and then have them identify the best one. This step encourages creative problem-solving and motivation.
- W: Way forward. After identifying the best one, ask them to outline the way forward and the next steps they will take. This involves creating an action plan and establishing accountability.
The GROW acronym serves as a helpful reminder of these steps in coaching conversations. If you are willing to support and offer a listening ear, you can help others let off steam and arrive at a better way to handle the situation, or others like it, going forward.
Keep in mind, this is also not necessarily a one-time solution. Coaching is a process and if you follow it consistently, you will deepen relationships and can be quite effective at helping others, even in times of crisis. The GROW feedback model creates a continuous feedback loop that supports ongoing skill development and performance improvement.
How Wipfli can help
Wipfli’s leadership development programs help leaders at every level cultivate a leadership mindset that empowers others to thrive. Learn more about how we help clients with people, process and strategy on our organizational performance consulting web page.
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