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GROW Coaching Conversation Template

GROW is the world's most widely used coaching framework — simple, powerful, and applicable in any 1:1 or coaching conversation. Use this template to structure a conversation that helps someone move from where they are to where they want to be.

The coaching stance: In a GROW conversation, your job is to ask questions — not give answers. You are helping the other person access their own thinking. Trust the process. Resist the urge to advise.

Meeting Details

Date

Coachee

Coach / Manager

G — Goal: What Do You Want to Achieve?

Establish what the person wants from this conversation and — if relevant — their longer-term goal. Make the goal specific and owned by the coachee.

What would you like to focus on today? What do you want to have achieved or decided by the end of this conversation?

What does success look like for you? How will you know you've achieved it?

On a scale of 1-10, how motivated are you to work on this? Why that score?

R — Reality: Where Are You Now?

Explore the current situation honestly. Help the coachee see their reality clearly — without judgment, blame, or justification. Be curious, not diagnostic.

What's happening at the moment? Tell me about the current situation.

What have you already tried? What happened?

What's getting in the way? What's the real obstacle?

What resources or strengths do you have that are relevant here?

Who else is involved or affected? What might they be thinking?

O — Options: What Could You Do?

Generate options before evaluating them. Your job is to help them think broadly — not to provide the answer. Only offer suggestions as a last resort, and frame them as a question.

What could you do? What are all the options, even if some seem unlikely?

What else? (Ask this at least twice — the best options often emerge later.)

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? If time/resources weren't a constraint?

What are the pros and cons of the most appealing options?

W — Way Forward: What Will You Do?

The value of the coaching conversation is only realised when it leads to action. Be specific about what, when, and how accountability will work.

What will you do? What's your first step?

#	Commitment (specific & time-bound)	By When
1
2
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On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you that you'll take this action? What would make it a 10?

What support do you need from me?

Follow-up date & method:

Next coaching conversation date:

Coach's Reflection

What worked well in this conversation?

What would I do differently?

One thing I'm going to practise in my next coaching conversation:

Remember: The quality of your questions determines the quality of the conversation. Use open questions (What, How, When, Who). Avoid Why (it can feel accusatory). Use silence — give the person space to think. Follow their energy, not your agenda.