Page 140 · Module 06, Build Your Team · this screen continues that page
All 108 frameworks1-on-1 Framework - GROW Model
Your 1-on-1s feel like status updates. You ask how things are going, they tell you, and you
The prompt
Copy & paste readyLabelsReplace theseSwap the role below
Pro tip, from the book
End every GROW conversation by asking the person to rate their commitment to the agreed action on a scale of 1–10. Anything below 7 means the action is wrong, too big, wrong timing, or not genuinely chosen. Ask what would make it a 9. The answer is almost always a smaller first step or a removed obstacle.
Who should run this prompt
Module role profileWho should advise on people and leadership decisions? Leadership decisions are the highest-leverage decisions in any organisation — and the hardest to get right because the stakes are human. The roles on this page bring the perspectives of people who have seen hundreds of teams succeed and fail. Use them before hiring, before giving difficult feedback, before restructuring, and before having the conversations you have been avoiding.
Choose any role to drop it into the prompt above. Only the highlighted opening clause changes — the rest of the prompt stays exactly as printed.
◆◆◆◆◆ → ◆ seniority, board level down to specialist◈ outside the organisation
How to make any role sharper
- Add years of experience: "...with 15 years in enterprise SaaS" produces different depth than just the title.
- Add what they care most about: "You care most about [X]" shapes every word of the output.
- Add their communication style: "Be direct. Flag risks first. No jargon." changes the tone entirely.
Use this when
The problem it solvesboth move on. Nothing changes. The conversation is comfortable but not useful. Your best people are not growing and you don't know why.
How the framework works
From the printed pageThe GROW model was developed by Sir John Whitmore and popularised in his 1992 book Coaching for Performance. It is the most widely used coaching framework in the world for a reason: it works. Goal (what do you want to achieve in this conversation?), Reality (what is the current situation honestly?), Options (what are all the possible ways forward?), Will (what will you specifically commit to doing?). Applied to 1-on-1s, GROW transforms a status update into a structured coaching conversation that builds capability and accountability.
The method, in four moves
Do these in orderSet the Goal at the start of every 1-on-1. what does the person want to resolve by the end?
In Reality, ask questions rather than giving assessments, the person's self-assessment is more valuable.
In Options, generate at least 3 paths before evaluating any of them.
Will must end with a specific action, a specific timeline, and a self-rated commitment score (1–10). Turn weekly check-ins into the most valuable 30 minutes of your team's week A commitment score of 4 out of 10 is more useful than a 9, it tells you the plan won't survive the week. Don't coach the number up. Coach the plan until the number rises on its own. A Low Score Is the Real Data
Where the framework comes from
Sir John Whitmore, Coaching for Performance, 1992 — GROW model
Pairs well with
As printed with this frameworkModule 06 — Build Your Team
Build people who build the company leadership is the product.
12 frameworks, printed on pages 135–158.
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