We all follow a path. It may be a wide path that doesn't take much thought or planning or a narrow path that very few others find, takes some clearing, requires work, and leads to success.
But we are all on a path. How do you help those you coach to design and follow a path that will lead to personal and financial success?
Over the past few weeks, I have offered a model of coaching that provides a structure intended to be a strong and lasting blueprint that you can use for almost all of your group and individual coaching. The model is called GROW (Goals, Reality, Options/Obstacles and Way Forward).
Defining the appropriate path for your agents brings us to the letter W in the acronym GROW. W is for the "Way Forward."
Many coaches make the mistake of beginning with this step. It's understandable; we are all busy and it takes time to thoroughly understand and examine an agent's true motivation. But it's definitely worth the effort if it will result in a success for both the company and the agent.
If we are following the GROW methodology, then it is imperative that we take each step as it comes. By understanding the Goals, Reality, Obstacles & Options you are now ready for the last step. How do we move ahead and find the appropriate "Way Forward?”
Define the Goals and reassess them with the current Reality. Examine the Obstacles and Options to overcome them. The options you listed must be converted into actions to take. Daily action (the Way Forward) should initially be broken down into small steps that allow you to build into weekly and monthly actions steps. Each of these steps must somehow address overcoming what you've discovered in the earlier processes.
Action steps should never take longer than 2 weeks to complete. If they do take that long, then break those longer steps into shorter ones. Dissect them with as much specificity as you can. To complete all of the above, you need to have a free flow of questions and brainstorming between you and your agent. Some examples include:
Who do I need as support?
What do I need to learn?
How will I keep myself motivated?
Do my steps fit the SMART model of action steps: Specific; Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time sensitive?
How will this affect my life away from work?
How can I better manage my time in completing each action?
How will I reward myself at each stage?
There are likely many more questions that could be asked, however remember "small steps.” Successfully complete this and you will see significant progress and exceptional achievement.
So there you have it. The GROW model of coaching. Use it and let me know what you think. I look forward to sharing more tips on successful coaching over the next two months. But for now consider more about what I mentioned about paths:
We have all hiked on paths, some interesting and some uninteresting. The interesting ones have most likely been more challenging and taken more planning. Make yours and all the paths of those you coach interesting ones.
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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.
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