Become an expert coach with the GROW framework

Vincent Oliveira
6 min readJan 5, 2023

Coaching is a form of development in which an experienced person, known as a coach, provides training and guidance to help someone achieve their goals. It helps the coachee (the person being coached) to “grow” personally and professionally. To be more efficient, I structured my coaching sessions with my clients using the GROW framework.

The GROW coaching methodology is a simple way for coaches to help their clients set and achieve goals. It was developed by Sir John Whitmore in the best-selling book “Coaching for Performance” and has become a popular coaching framework used by coaches around the world.

The acronym “GROW” stands for the four stages of the coaching process:

  1. Goal: The first step is to help the client identify a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goal.
  2. Reality: Here, the coach and client assess the current reality, including the client’s skills, knowledge, and resources, as well as external factors.
  3. Options: Brainstorm and explore different strategies for achieving the goal. The coach helps the client consider possibilities and choose the best option.
  4. Will or Way Forward: Develop a concrete action plan with specific milestones and deadlines. The coach helps the client stay accountable and provides support and guidance.
GROW coaching framework

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Vincent Oliveira

Writing about Leadership and Startup. | CEO & Co-founder @ Webyn.ai | Former CTO & Co-founder @ Tiller (acquired by SumUp)