Structure coaching conversations using the GROW model with developmental feedback frameworks and active listening techniques.
Help managers, mentors, and team leads have coaching conversations that develop people rather than just direct them. Good coaching unlocks capability; bad coaching creates dependency.
| Phase | Purpose | Key Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Define what success looks like | "What do you want to achieve?" / "What would a great outcome look like?" |
| Reality | Understand the current situation |
| "Where are you now?" / "What have you tried?" / "What's getting in the way?" |
| Options | Explore possible paths forward | "What could you do?" / "What else?" / "What if [constraint] didn't exist?" |
| Will | Commit to specific action | "What will you do?" / "By when?" / "How will you know it worked?" |
| Element | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | When and where | "In yesterday's client meeting" |
| Behavior | Observable action | "you presented the risk analysis without data backing" |
| Impact | Effect on others/outcome | "which made the client question our thoroughness" |
Follow SBI with a forward-looking question: "How might we approach this differently next time?"
| Technique | How | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Paraphrasing | Restate in your own words | "So what I'm hearing is..." |
| Reflecting emotion | Name the feeling you detect | "It sounds like that was frustrating" |
| Clarifying | Ask for specifics | "Can you give me an example?" |
| Summarizing | Condense the key points | "The three main things you've raised are..." |
| Silence | Pause and let them think | (Wait 5-10 seconds after a question) |
| Pitfall | Better Approach |
|---|---|
| Jumping to advice | Ask "What do you think?" first |
| Solving their problem | Help them solve it themselves |
| Only coaching during formal reviews | Make it a regular habit |
| Generic praise ("Good job") | Specific recognition ("Your risk matrix in the Q3 report caught the supply chain issue early") |
| Avoiding difficult feedback | Address issues early and directly using SBI |