How to identify your professional goals using the GROW Model

The GROW Model is a coaching framework used in conversations, meetings and everyday leadership to unlock potential and possibilities.  The GROW model was developed by John Whitmore and it is the most widely used coaching model for problem solving, goal setting and performance improvement.

To improve your professional performance and to develop a roadmap to your professional success, you can also use the GROW model on yourself.  The GROW model is a simple method that will help you to identify your professional goals and to identify how you will achieve them.

GROW is an acronym for the four key steps in this coaching model. G-Goals, R-Reality, O-Options and W-Way Forward. In this article, I will provide more information about each step and I will provide some reflective questions for you to consider.

The GROW Model

G – GOAL

The first step is to identify a specific professional goal that you wish to achieve.  This professional goal can be anything from getting a new job, gaining a promotion, returning to college, starting a business, or making a complete career change.  The key is to set a professional goal which is both inspiring and challenging for you.

Spend time answering these reflecting questions, as it will help you to identify your professional goal for 2022:

1. If I was not afraid of failure, what would I attempt to do?
2. Why is this goal important to me?
3. What are the benefits for me in achieving this goal?
4. What will it be like if I achieve my professional goal?

R – REALITY

The next step is to reflect upon and to assess your current professional situation.  Honesty is the best policy when working through this step of the coaching model.   It is good to think about any opportunity that might be presenting itself to you in your current company.  Also it would be good to think about any obstacles that might be holding you back in your professional life, these can be external factors such as no career progression in current company, or internal factors such as self-doubting your ability to apply for that promotion.

Here are some questions that will help you to identify your current professional reality:

1. What is the reality of my current professional situation?
2. What is going well and not well for me in my current job?
3. What do I like /dislike about my current job?
4. Do you know anyone who has achieved the professional goal that you want to achieve?

O – Options

Once you have completed step 2, the next step in the GROW model is to list your options and to make choices in order for you to achieve your professional goal.  Think outside the box and brainstorm some potential solutions on how you can achieve your goal.  Identify all the possibilities that are there for you, identify your strengths and finally identify the resources that you can access in order to achieve your professional goal.

Some questions to reflect upon:

1. What would happen if you did nothing? What would your professional life look like in December 2022?
2. What options have you identified to achieve your professional goal?
3. What else might you do?
4. If there were no obstacles, what would you do?

W – Way Forward

The final step in the GROW model is to create an action plan that will get you closer to achieving your professional goal and to define the timelines as to when you want these actions completed.  A good idea would be to find an accountability buddy, who will ensure you keep on track as you work through each of the action items.

Some reflective questions to consider at this stage:

1. How committed are you to this professional goal?
2. What steps do you need to take to achieve this goal?
3. What could hinder you taking these steps?
4. What are your criteria and measurement for success?

I hope you found this article beneficial and that by using the GROW model it will help you to identify what your professional goal is for 2022.  Please share this article with anyone you feel might benefit from it.