The GROW model is a four-step coaching conversation (Goal, Reality, Options, and Will or Way Forward) that moves a person from what they want to a committed next action.
GROW inside a sales debrief
GROW was developed by Sir John Whitmore with peers and popularized through his book Coaching for Performance; Performance Consultants, the firm he founded, holds it as a trademark (GROW™). In our experience, it fits sales best as the question order inside a debrief. Goal: what the next buyer call has to produce. Reality: what the buyer said on the last call, quoted. Options: the ways the rep could get what is missing. Will: the one move the rep commits to, with the date of that call.
- 01GoalWhat the next buyer call has to produce
- 02RealityWhat the buyer said on the last call, quoted
- 03OptionsWays the rep could get what is missing
- 04WillOne move, with the date of that call
The difference from executive coaching is who sets the goal. In a sales debrief, the deal and the team's methodology set much of it: the economic buyer has engaged or has not. The method also decides what counts as Reality. On a Gap Selling team it is the buyer's current state and what it costs, in their numbers. On a ValueSelling Framework® team it is the weakest term of the Qualified Prospect Formula®, such as a Power that is still zero. Anchored that way, GROW stays on the deal. It fits the debrief step of our sales coaching framework.
Example
This example is illustrative. Goal: get the CFO into the evaluation before the proposal. Reality: the champion said, "I'll take it to her once we're aligned." Options: ask the champion what the CFO will look for; offer to build the business case together; propose a 15-minute call. Will: on Thursday's call the rep asks what the CFO will need and proposes the 15-minute call.
In the weak version of the same debrief, Reality is the rep's summary ("the champion is bought in"), the options are all the manager's, and Will reads "follow up next week". Nothing in it can be checked on Friday. One question repairs it: "What exactly did the champion say about the CFO?" Once the quote is on the table, the options and the dated move tend to follow.
Related terms
FAQ
What does GROW stand for in coaching? GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Options and Will, sometimes written Way Forward. The conversation moves through them in order: what the person wants, where things stand now, what they could do, and what they commit to doing next.
Is GROW a good model for sales coaching? GROW works well for sales coaching when it is used as the question order inside a debrief. Its limit in sales is that the coachee sets the goal, while in a live deal the buyer and the methodology set much of it. Anchor Reality in the buyer's words and make Will a dated move on the next call.
Can an AI coach use GROW? Yes, an AI coach can follow the same order. Caty works the deal against the team's own method on a call and agrees one dated move for the next meeting. Gap Selling teams work with Keenan, ValueSelling Framework® teams with Val. Managers see the read across the team from Bryce; see for leaders.