Our natural tendency is to want to offer advice. When we start to formulate our own ideas, we cease to remain open and curious. The purpose of this time is not to offer advice but rather to explore. The group asks open ended questions that support the presenter in seeing and reflecting from a new vantage point and helps them think more deeply about their assumptions around their issue. As well we want to help them move to an action that will help them move forward. The role of the group in this stage is to be of service to the presenter through active listening and questioning. This doesn’t mean that attitudes or solutions can’t be challenged by a member of the group. However, you may want to challenge someone through a question rather than telling them it’s a bad idea. For example, “Tell me what makes you think what you’re suggesting is going to work?” The most important value in this is internal reflection and individual action for the person who is being coached by the group.

The GROW model

Consider using this simple framework to guide you through your group exploration.

• GROW is an acronym for “Goal…Reality…Options/Opportunities…Will”. See the following for an explanation and sample questions.
• This will help move the person being coached toward a self-identified way forward
• This is important because what when we identify and create something we tend to have greater ownership and a greater desire to follow through.

Goal

The person being coached will bring their summary to the group. At this stage you will seek to clarify what they want to accomplish in the time together.

1. What matters to you the most concerning this value/life domain?
2. What are you keen to accomplish through this peer coaching sequence/session?
3. What would you like to see happen?
4. What is it specifically that you want to achieve?
5. Describe your ideal outcome from this coaching…
6. Tell me more about this perfect result?
7. Why do you want to achieve this goal?
8. What is the deeper meaning or personal significance that this goal has for you?
9. What positive things do you feel will happen if you accomplish what you’re trying to achieve?
10. Tell me how you will know if you’ve attained your desired outcome?

Reality

This primary question here is What is your context or situation right now?

In this next phase, your primary goal as a coach is to help the person being coached gain more awareness of their existing situation.

Questions may include:

1. At this point, what’s happening now to you? What impact or influence is this having?
2. Tell me more about this…with whom? Where? When?
3. Have you tried doing anything thus far to achieve your goal?
4. I’m curious about what you did… How did it go for you? Share some examples with me…
5. Where do you feel you are now concerning your life goal? Would you be able to rank this out of 10?
6. So far, what has helped your progress? What has held you back? Tell me about the last time this happened…
7. What do you feel you need to achieve your goal?
8. If you asked for this resource, what would happen?
9. What could you do differently this time around?
10. Has anybody you know achieved the same goal? How did they manage?

Options and Opportunities

The main question here is What are your options or opportunities for action? Possible questions include:

1. What do you see as the first step to accomplishing your goal?
2. What might you do to take you closer after that?
3. Can you think of some alternatives? Is there another way?
4. Who might you ask for help? Who else?
5. In the past, what has worked for you? What did you learn from that?
6. Tell me what you think would happen if you tried doing that?
7. What are the pros and cons of this option?
8. Which possible pathway do you feel prepared to go down?
9. What would you do if time/money/resources weren’t an issue?
10. How will you measure your progress using this option?

Will/What’s Next/Way Forward

The key questions of this stage are What will you do next? What’s the way forward? Here are some questions that may help:

1. Which opportunity are you going to pursue?
2. What specific actions will you take to achieve your goal? What is your time frame?
3. What are the steps you’re going to take? What’s the very first thing you will do?
4. What are the next three steps? What else?
5. Have you considered the potential barriers?
6. Tell me how you plan to overcome these obstacles…
7. Who will you ask to help you along the way? What else will you need?
8. How committed do you feel to this particular opportunity, out of 10?
9. What are some ways you can get to 10?
10. How are you going to know that you’ve succeeded?

 Adapted From the GROW peer coaching model