High Performance Coaching Through GROW: (Half-Day)
Introduction: We see the effects of coaching clearly in sports. Most of the time, a team with a superb coach and average players will do better than an average coach and superb players. Great coaching will bring up performance every time.  Legendary teams always have legendary coaches.  The same is often true in organizations.  The role of the manager, acting as coach, is to help bring up individual and team performance.  The problem is, without effective training, many managers assume that “coaching” is simply “telling”.  This approach is wrong, and can often actually worsen performance.  A better method, proven first in sports and then adapted for the workplace, is the GROW Model: Goals, Reality, Options, and Wrap-Up.  Sir John Whitmore from the UK developed the model and it was later refined by renowned sports coach-turned-consultant, Tim Gallwey.  The model helps coaches ask deep questions, designed to help the ‘player’ (or employee) think through what they want to accomplish; what has happened before; what they have tried; what they can do; and what they will do.  The outcome is greater buy-in to an action plan for improved performance that the employee has developed him/herself.  In short, the GROW Model helps staff members grow, and obtain high performance.

Presentation Description: This highly interactive 3.5 hour session presents a simple yet very powerful model of performance coaching, referred to as the ‘GROW Model’. Participants first reflect on their own experience with good and not-so-good coaching.  Then they are introduced to the GROW Model of performance coaching and how it differs from “counseling” or “mentoring”.  They see a demonstration of how the GROW approach works and its various components.  Then participants have an opportunity in confidential sub-groups to practice the model on real-life work related problems. By the end of the workshop, participants are ready to take the model back to their workplace and help colleagues address/solve work related challenges.

Learning Outcomes:
Participants in this three hour workshop on high performance coaching will:

1. Relate personally to their experiences of being coached
2. Learn how coaching differs from counseling and mentoring
3. Learn about the GROW Model and observe it being applied
4. Practice the model; learn best practices in how to use it; and become comfortable with applying this back in their workplace