GROW and its variations

The GROW model focuses on specific actions. 

It works best for tangible goals such as: 

• Completing a specific project 
• Adopting a new habit 
• Increasing productivity 

G - General Goal (Goal)  

What do you want to achieve? 

• Ask the mentee what they want to focus on during the session. 
• Check why it is important to them. 
• Ask how they would like it to be. 
• Check if the goal is realistic and ambitious. 
• Check how to know the goal has been achieved. 

R - Reality  

How is it now? 

• Help the mentee to look at how things are currently. 
• Ask what is working well and what is not. 
• Check the benefits and losses of the current situation. 
• Ask what others think and how they react. 
• Check what actions have already been taken and their effects. 
• Ask what could help achieve the goal. 

O - Options 

What can be done?  

• Ask your mentee what actions can be taken in this situation.  
• Ask what actions someone else - their boss, a colleague, someone close - would take if they were in their place.  
• Analyze the benefits and drawbacks of various options for action. 

W - Will  

What will you do?  

• Ask for a decision - what will the first step be?  
• Determine a deadline and check if it is possible.  
• Check if the chosen action is attractive in this situation. If not, ask for another option. 

The GROW model is not always linear. During the mentoring conversation, depending on the mentee's situation and needs, you may return to its individual stages.  

The GROW model is a directive approach to mentoring conversations. In areas/issues of an internal nature involving self-discovery, less structured approaches (non-directive) will be more effective. 

In generating O - Options, use questions in the hypothetical mode, for example: What if…? This type of question helps to eliminate the limitation of moving within the scope of currently available resources. By using this method, you increase the number of potential solutions. 

More available questions for the GROW model

G - General Goal (Goal) 

• What is your goal for this session?  
• What do you want to achieve?  
• What would you like to accomplish in today's meeting?  
• What effect are you aiming for?  
• Why do you want to accomplish this goal?  
• Why is this goal important to you?  
• If not this goal, then what other?  
• What benefits will you gain by achieving this goal?  
• What benefits will others gain by achieving this goal?  
• Can you lose anything by achieving this goal? 

R - Reality 

• What is happening at the moment?  
• How do you feel about it?  
• What is the impact on you?  
• What supports you?  
• What blocks you?  
• What stops you?  
• How does it affect other people?  
• To what extent are you sure that the situation you describe is as you describe it?  
• What would others say about this situation?  
• Do you have control over it?  
• What actions have you taken so far?  
• What obstacles still need to be overcome?  
• Has any option yet to be tried?  
• What do you currently have?  
• What resources do you have?  
• What do you have, and how much: 
• Time  
• Money  
• Equipment  
• Materials  
• Schedules  
• What else do you need to get?  
• How do you feel?  
• What do you need to feel to achieve the goal?  
• What energy do you have?  
• What energy/attitude do you need to have to achieve the goal? 
• What knowledge do you have?  
• What do you already know?  
• What do you need to learn/find out?  
• Who can help you?  
• Who supports you?  
• Who hinders you?  
• Do you need to acquire new contacts or build relationships?  

O – Options 

• What is possible to do to achieve the goal?  
• What else can be done?  
• What other steps can be taken?  
• What other directions come to your mind?  
• How can you do it?  
• Who can help you?  
• What haven't you tried yet?  
• What would your friend do?  
• What would your girlfriend do?  
• What would be possible if you had no limitations?  
• If you had unlimited possibilities, what solution would you try?  
• And what would happen if you removed this obstacle?  
• What would be possible then?  
• What options do you have available?  
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of a given solution? 
• What will provide the best results?  
• What will provide the fastest results?  
• Which solution will give you the most satisfaction?  
• What do you decide to choose?  

W – Will 

• What do you decide to do?  
• Does this action bring you closer to achieving the goal?  
• Is this solution/action possible at this time?  
• When do you plan to do it?  
• What obstacles can you encounter?  
• How can you deal with encountered obstacles?  
• Do you need any support?  
• What kind?  
• From whom?  
• To what extent do you have the motivation to do it?  
• On a scale from 1 to 10, how motivated are you to do it?  
• What makes it not a 10?  
• What can you do to get closer to a 10? 

RE-GROW model 

The RE-GROW model is an extension of the GROW model and can link a given session (the current one) to the previous one. 

R - Review 

• What have you done so far? 
• What has happened? 
• What was accomplished? 
• What was not achieved? 
• What was the effect? 
• What were the consequences? 

E - Evaluation 

• What have you realized? 
• What have you learned about yourself?  
• What drives you?  
• What slows you down?  
• What blocks you?  
• What are you proud of?  
• Were you surprised by anything?  
• What conclusions have you drawn?  
• What will you take away from this for future actions? 

Model T-GROW  

Model T-GROW is an extension of the GROW model. 

"T" provides a broader context and allows for consideration of the area in which the Mentee will be working. 

T - Topic 

• What will we be discussing today?  
• What topic do you want to focus on?  
• What topic will we be addressing today?