Coaching Series: Closing the Loop with the Way Forward

Welcome back, friends! I hope you’re having a good month of growth and embracing possibilities.

We’ve come to the final article on the GROW model in my Empowered Coaching series. Have you enjoyed these bite-sized articles and applied some of the tips in your coaching recently?

In the GROW coaching model, we've reached the 'W,' which stands for 'What's Next' or the 'Way Forward' phase.

So far, in our coaching conversation, we've set Goals, assessed Reality, and explored Options. Now, we enter the 'What's Next' phase, which is all about taking action.

During this stage, the coach collaborates with the coachee to identify actionable steps in their roadmap to achieving their goal. This is an important stage as it shifts the focus from planning to execution.

The Importance of Planning for Action

In the Options stage, the coachee stretched their thinking by exploring various paths and potential solutions for their goal. With the coach’s guidance and thought-provoking questions, the coachee broadened their horizons and stepped outside their comfort zones.

Now, in the ‘What’s Next’ phase, it’s time for the coachee to consider these possibilities and develop a concrete action plan. It is beneficial to conduct this immediately after the exploration of Options, harnessing the coachee’s expanded mindset and fresh ideas.

Ultimately, the main goal of 'What's Next' phase is to agree on specific actions and deadlines, establish accountability, and set up reporting. It's also a chance to gauge commitment levels and revisit the earlier stages of the coaching journey.

Let’s make it easier to implement by breaking ‘What’s Next’ into several small steps.

5 Steps for an Effective ‘What's Next’ Action Plan

1.      List the Actions

Request the coachee to write down and review the list of options that they explored previously. Encourage the coachee to state actions that are specific and actionable right now.

Take your time for this process; it is wise not to eliminate anything at this point, but to record the full list of potential actions. The list can serve as a reference that the coachee could revisit and follow up on in the future.

2.      Prioritise

Work with the coachee to prioritise the list of actions they generated. Ask them to select the actions that are most critical and should be completed first.

To make the action plan manageable and realistic, recommend that coachee narrows it down to a list of 3 to 5 actions that can be implemented immediately. The plan could also be broken down further into short-term, medium-term, and long-term action plans. For clarity, come to an understanding of what the implementation time frame should be.

3.      Set Milestones

After identifying the actions, it's crucial to establish clear expectations for each one. Invite the coachee to define milestones, deadlines, and a method for tracking progress or completion.

Setting concrete timeframes not only adds a sense of urgency but also increases their accountability for the plan.

4.      Resources and Support

Discuss with the coachee about the resources they need or whom they could enlist for support to execute their action. This may include access to information, training, mentorship, or collaboration with others.

It’s also helpful to probe them on how they might handle any potential obstacles or challenges that they may encounter. Have the coachee brainstorm some strategies for overcoming these potential obstacles.

5.      Review and Summarise

Secure the commitment and ownership of the coachee by reviewing the specifics of what, how, and when they will execute it.

Summarise the action plan and request the coachee to document it in writing to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what needs to be done. Consider scheduling a review date to track progress and stay connected.

Essentially, the ‘What’s Next’ phase is the time when your coachee or team members can get organised, create their project plan, involve relevant stakeholders, and start executing.

Nailing down the details of why, how-tos, and what-ifs, your coachee can build the right mindset and laser focus to achieve their goals. They’re also ready to spot any hurdles that might show up along the way.

Exploring ‘What’s Next’ With Questions

As a coach, how can you assist the coachee in developing a solid action plan?

Here's a list of questions you can use to spark their thinking about 'What's Next':

1.      What will you do?

2.      How will you do that?

3.      When will you do it?

4.      Who will you talk to?

5.      Is there anything you need to put in place before that?

6.      What resources can help you?

7.      What do you need from me/others to help you achieve this?

8.      What roadblocks do you expect or require planning?

9.      How will you know you have been successful?

10.  On a scale of one to ten, what is the likelihood of your plan succeeding?

The GROW Model for coaching conversations isn't just a cool acronym. It’s a user-friendly framework for defining goals, making plans, and taking action.

Think of the GROW Model as your friendly GPS that guides your coachee or team members to reach their goals or hit their targets. It's like having a wise friend along for the journey, helping your coachee clarify priorities, explore possibilities, stay on the lookout for challenges, and craft a clear roadmap to success.

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