How to Set Goals with the GROW Coaching Model
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As a manager, effectively setting goals with your team members is crucial for driving performance and achieving success. However, this process is often trickier than it seems. The GROW Coaching Model is a powerful framework for facilitating goal setting, but it presents its own set of challenges.
Introducing the GROW model
The GROW model involves guiding employees through four key stages: Goal, Reality, Options, and Will/Way Forward. This requires managers to navigate the complexities of aligning individual motivations with organizational objectives, fostering honest self-assessment, generating creative solutions, and inspiring commitment to action plans.
Making GROW Work with SMART Goals
To enhance the effectiveness of the GROW Coaching Model, managers can integrate the widely-recognized SMART criteria for goal setting. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals.
The SMART framework is an excellent complement to the GROW Model because it provides a structured approach to setting well-defined, actionable, and trackable goals. By incorporating SMART principles into each stage of the GROW process, managers can overcome common pitfalls and ensure that goal setting is a productive and rewarding experience.
What is the SMART Framework?
Specific: Goals should be clear, concise, and well-defined.
Measurable: Goals should have quantifiable metrics or milestones.
Achievable: Goals should be realistic and attainable given available resources.
Relevant: Goals should align with broader objectives and priorities.
Time-bound: Goals should have specific deadlines or timelines.
Why SMART Works for GROW The SMART framework is appropriate for the GROW Coaching Model because it addresses many of the challenges inherent in effective goal setting:
During the "Goal" stage of GROW, SMART ensures goals are well-defined, measurable and relevant.
In the "Reality" stage, SMART helps realistically assess current capabilities for achievability.
When exploring "Options," SMART provides criteria for evaluating viable strategies.
For "Will/Way Forward," SMART reinforces commitment with clear timelines and metrics.
Using SMART with GROW
Here's how managers can effectively integrate SMART into each stage of the GROW process:
Goal: Work with employees to set SMART goals that are specific, measurable, relevant to objectives, and time-bound.
Reality: Honestly assess current skills, resources, and constraints to determine if the SMART goal is truly achievable.
Options: Brainstorm multiple SMART strategies and action plans to achieve the goal, evaluating them against SMART criteria.
Will/Way Forward: Commit to a specific SMART plan with clear accountability, deadlines, and metrics for tracking progress.
Sample Dialogue
MANAGER: Thanks for meeting with me today. I'd like us to go through the process of setting some goals for the upcoming quarter using the GROW model. First, what specific goal would you like to aim for?
EMPLOYEE: I think increasing our product sales by 25% over last quarter would be a great goal to work towards.
MANAGER: Okay, let's apply the SMART criteria here. That's a measurable goal with the 25% target, which is good. But we need to be more specific - is this for all products across the entire sales team?
EMPLOYEE: You're right, I should clarify. My goal is to increase sales of our flagship software product by 25% for just my territory.
MANAGER: Great, that's very specific and measurable. Is that realistic and achievable for you given your current sales pipeline and resources?
EMPLOYEE: You know, after considering my existing commitments, a 25% increase may be a stretch. How about aiming for a 15% increase instead?
MANAGER: 15% sounds quite achievable based on your past performance. That's certainly relevant to our overall revenue targets too. What's your timeline for achieving this?
EMPLOYEE: I'd like to aim for hitting that 15% increase by the end of the quarter. So roughly 3 months from now.
MANAGER: Perfect, that's time-bound. So your SMART goal is to increase sales of the flagship software by 15% in your territory by the end of this quarter. What's your current reality in terms of existing sales, pipeline, and roadblocks?
[Reality stage discussion]
MANAGER: Okay, now that we have the goal and reality mapped out, what are some potential options or strategies you could pursue to make this goal achievable?
[Options discussion]
MANAGER: Those all sound like viable options aligned with the SMART goal. Which one are you most willing to commit to for the way forward?
EMPLOYEE: I think pursuing that co-marketing campaign with the new partnership could be the most impactful step. I'm willing to develop that proposal and execution plan.
MANAGER: Excellent, I'll support you in making that co-marketing push happen this quarter. Let's summarize the SMART goal and way forward one more time to ensure we're fully committed and aligned.
[Summary reinforcing SMART goal, chosen strategy, timeline, and commitment]
MANAGER: Does this all make sense? I'm confident with this SMART, actionable plan that you'll be able to achieve that 15% increase. Let me know if you need any other resources or support along the way.
EMPLOYEE: Absolutely, thanks for walking me through this structured process. I feel empowered with this clear SMART goal and path to make it happen.
This dialogue illustrates how the GROW model guides the conversation through goal setting, reality assessment, option exploration, and committing to a way forward. Simultaneously integrating the SMART criteria ensures the goal itself is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound.
Conclusion
By combining the structured GROW coaching approach with the proven SMART principles, managers can facilitate a productive goal-setting process that aligns efforts, fosters accountability, and drives meaningful results.
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