Objective: provide examples of questions that can make it easier for you to implement the GROW model in your first meetings.

In the 1980s, the GROW model was born which, although it does not have a specific father, John Whitmorea former racing driver, considered one of the fathers of coaching and author of the worldwide bestseller "coaching for performance", popularised this famous model. 

This model is a problem-solving technique useful for structuring mentoring and coaching sessions and we would like to give you the keys to implement it yourself, especially if you are immersed in a process of change or want to start it.

The acronym GROW stands for:

Gfirst phase or session, which is what we want for the decision, to agree together on the objective of the session (in entrepreneurs it is usually their main obstacle or major, urgent problem that prevents them from moving forward with their new business).

• Objective or Goal:

What is my objective?

It's about knowing where you want to go and what you need to change to get there. The objectives (+) always specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, for a specific period of time. Don't set yourself impossible goals and the more concrete the better, then it will be easier to know if you are on the right track.

TYPICAL QUESTIONS:

• What is the issue you want to address?
• What outcome do you want to achieve at the end of this mentoring session?
• What do you hope to get out of this session?
• In the long term and on this issue, what is the goal you are pursuing?
• What intermediate stages can you identify and when do you plan to reach them?

R: exploration of the realityWe begin to discover the reality, what this moment feels like to us. entrepreneurblocking - current reality (Reality): What is your current reality will help you to make a diagnosis of your situation and to know the real gap with regard to where you want to get to?

TYPICAL QUESTIONS:

• What is the current situation? Describe it in detail.
• What is your biggest concern in this regard?
• Who is affected by this problem, besides you?
• Who else is aware of your intentions?
• What is your control over the results?
• Who else has influence on this issue and to what extent?
• What have you done so far and with what result?
• What's stopping you from doing something else?
• What obstacles must be overcome in order to move forward?
• What internal resistances prevent you from moving forward?
• What resources do you have - skills, enthusiasm, money, support, etc?
• What other resources would you need and how to obtain them?
• What is really the main problem with this issue?

OOptions, the entrepreneur generates options, new alternatives for unlocking and advancing (see Tip 5C method) (see+).

What can I do?

This will help you identify the options or alternatives you have and the tools at your disposal to reach the goal you have set for yourself. You will need to provide for alternatives to the eventualities that may arise.

TYPICAL QUESTIONS:

• Make a list of possible options for solving the problem.
• What else could you do?
• What would you do if you had more time, more money or were the boss (more power)?
• What would you do if you could start again from the beginning?
• Would you like another suggestion?
• What are the costs and benefits of each option?
• What could be the best outcome?
• Which of these solutions do you prefer or would be best for you?
• Which would give you the greatest satisfaction?

W: determine what it can do, action plan (+) to get you to your goal.

Way forward (Will): What am I going to do, it's about laying the foundations for change. Where to start and a plan of action to get there.

The commitment is with yourself, so openness will be a good strategy to avoid being overwhelmed. Analyse who your allies will be, what obstacles you know in advance that you will encounter along the way and who will be able to help you.

• Which option(s) do you choose?
• To what extent does this meet your objectives?
• How will you know that you have succeeded?
• How are you going to measure it?
• How are you going to start and finish each stage of the actions you have decided on?
• Is there any personal resistance that prevents you from doing what you have decided?
• What would you do to remove internal or external barriers?
• Who should know your plans?
• What support do you need and from whom?
• What could I do to help you?
• From zero to 100, state your degree of commitment to the actions you have decided on.
• What's stopping you from scoring 100?
• What can you do to increase your engagement?
• Do you want to discuss this issue some more or is it all said and done?

GROW MODEL FOR ENTREPRENEURS. GENERATION OF OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES IN A MENTORING SESSION:

"When I am sure I have exhausted all ideas,  

think of one more". 

John Whitmore 

The objective of this "growth" technique is that the entrepreneur is able to generate, with the help of the coach/mentor, a comprehensive list of possible actions that will bring him/her closer to achieving his/her goal.  

It is very important that the list of options (alternatives) focus on QUANTITY rather than QUALITY of them. Moreover, once you have formulated them, you don't have to be concerned about ordering or ranking them, just let yourself go without restrictions. It will be later in this phase that the different options will be assessed. 

As with the objective, it is It is essential that the different options are recorded in writing by the entrepreneur. The aim is to carry out a "brainstorming (+) of the possible actions that can help the entrepreneur to reach his or her goal.

Typically, the action plan is made up of several, all of which increase the likelihood of achieving its purpose. We already know that human behaviour is probabilisticThe more options, the more likely it is that one or more of them will be creative, powerful and will improve the results expected by the entrepreneur.

It is normal for the person to arrive with some ideas of what they can do, it is our mission to take them out of the observer model they have so that they can look at 360º and open up more possibilities for action. It is relevant that the entrepreneur registers the options him/herself. 

It is important that you record them in writing and preferably on paper and in his "handwriting". You know about the connection between brain and handwriting! As coaches and/or mentors we must accompany the entrepreneur in generating options. We must encourage and reward creativity, emphasising the no importance of QUALITY of the option.  

If necessary, it is possible to contribute some options (always with the entrepreneur's permission and always after he/she has exhausted all his/her ideas). With the options already registered, the mentor-coach will recapitulate all of them, making sure with the entrepreneur that they bring him/her closer to his/her goal. and you will now be asked tos in order of greatest to least benefit. 

At this stage, the tenacity of the mentor-coach is very important, since, the  The entrepreneur will often tend to present the same options that he/she may have already considered at another time. To say what you have been thinking or trying to say at other times, just for that, you do not go through a coaching/mentoring process. 

It is very important that the different options are assessed and that the entrepreneur comments on which one(s) he/she likes best.

When evaluating it is useful to use different criteria such as: impact on the achievement of the objective, emotional cost, effort, economic investment... NEGATIVE ASSUMPTIONS usually appear at this stage; for example: 

• I lack funding.
•  I won't be able to do it, I don't have time. 
•  My husband won't leave me. 
•  I don't have enough money... 

Negative assumptions what they cause is that creativity is cancelled out.It is at these moments that we can use the questions:  

•  What if... you had the time?  
•  What if... your husband left you?  
•  What if... you had enough money? 

Thus, the censorship of the rational mind is temporarily circumvented and the more creative part of thought is released, The obstacle may therefore appear to be a more surmountable. 

If the entrepreneur is blocked and cannot think of any other options, it is useful to "dissociate him/her from him/herself", i.e. to invite him/her to "see him/herself from outside" so that from an external and "objective position to the situation" he/she can consider other options.

Examples: empty chair, role reversal...

The GROW model is a a problem-solving technique used in mentoring and coaching to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals. Each letter of the acronym represents a phase of the conversation between mentor and entrepreneur.

• Phase G is the Goal phase, where the objective or goal of the session is agreed. At this stage, the mentor may ask questions such as "What is the issue you want to address?" or "What outcome do you want to achieve at the end of this mentoring session?".
• The R phase is the Reality phase, where the entrepreneur's current situation is explored and a diagnosis of his or her situation is made. Here, the mentor may ask questions such as "What is the current situation? Describe it in detail" or "What obstacles need to be overcome in order to make progress?
• Phase O is the Options phase, where the entrepreneur generates options or alternatives to unlock and move forward. In this phase, the mentor may ask questions such as "Make a list of possible options for solving the problem" or "What else could you do?
• The W phase is the Will (Determination) phase, where a plan of action is established to take the entrepreneur to his or her goal. At this stage, the mentor may ask questions such as "Which option(s) do you choose" or "How will you know that you have succeeded".

It is important that the entrepreneur records in writing the different options generated in phase O. The mentor should accompany the entrepreneur in the generation of options, encourage and reward creativity, and emphasise the non-importance of the quality of the option.

In the options appraisal phase, various criteria are used, such as the impact on the achievement of the objective, the emotional cost, the effort and the financial investment.

In summary, the GROW model is a useful tool for structuring mentoring and coaching sessions to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals. The mentor should guide the entrepreneur through each phase, ask key questions and encourage the entrepreneur's creativity and determination to succeed.

Learning method for the mentor to practice the GROW method

HERE IS A LEARNING METHOD FOR A MENTOR TO PRACTICE THE GROW METHOD WITH AN ENTREPRENEUR:

1. Study the GROW method: The mentor should take the time to study the GROW method carefully and understand each phase of the process. He/she should have a clear idea of the questions to be asked at each stage, and how these questions can help the entrepreneur to achieve his/her goals.
2. Practice with a partner: The mentor can find someone willing to be a practice partner to practice the GROW method. They should assign a mentor and entrepreneur role and conduct a full session. The mentor should ask all questions and follow each stage of the process.
3. Analyse and reflect: Once the session is over, the mentor and practice partner should discuss and reflect on what went well and what didn't. They should discuss areas where the mentor needs to improve and how they can better apply the GROW method in the future. They should discuss areas where the mentor needs to improve and how they can better apply the GROW method in the future.
4. Conduct a session with a real entrepreneur: After having practised with a practice partner, the mentor can conduct a real session with an entrepreneur. He/she has to apply what he/she has learned from the previous practices and adjust his/her questions to the specific situation of the entrepreneur.
5. Ask for feedback: At the end of the session with the entrepreneur, the mentor should ask for feedback on how the process felt and how they think it can be improved. This will help the mentor to improve his or her technique and ensure that he or she is providing the best possible service to the entrepreneur.
6. Repeat the process: The mentor should continue to practice and apply the GROW method in future sessions with different entrepreneurs to improve their technique and help more people achieve their goals.

This learning method can help mentors acquire the necessary skills to apply the GROW method effectively and improve the mentoring process with entrepreneurs.