GROW vs Start With Heart: Coaching Models in Education
Since the early 80s, the coaching profession and practice has found its way into all areas of life: work, home, schools and more. In schools, we have seen it slowly emerge as a powerful tool for supporting the ongoing development of students, teachers and parents alike, since the mid 2000s.
Today the most widely used coaching model remains GROW, as showcased by the late Sir John Whitmore's book Coaching for Performance, published in 1992 and translated into 23 languages.
The acronym is simple and straightforward; who doesn’t want to ‘grow’?
The GROW Model
Developed by Sir John Whitmore and a few other key people in the 1980s, the GROW model is a goal-oriented coaching framework that consists of four stages: Goal, Reality, Options, and Way Forward (or Will). The model focuses on setting clear goals, assessing the current reality, exploring options and committing to action. The model has proven to be effective in various contexts, including business, sports and personal development.
One of the strengths of GROW is its simplicity. The four-stage framework provides a clear structure for coaching conversations, making it easy for coaches to guide their coachees through the process. The model's emphasis on goal-setting and action-planning has made it particularly popular in performance-driven environments, where measurable results are highly valued.
A fun fact about Whitmore is that he was a good friend of ours before he passed and in conversation back in 2010 he shared that the GROW model was never meant to be interpreted so literally; it was never meant to feel rigid or over-prescribed. Yet, in practice, that's often the impact on the coachee. As a result, the model's focus on goal-setting and action planning may not always align with the complex, multi-faceted nature of growth in educational settings. Additionally, GROW does not explicitly address the emotional and motivational factors that play a crucial role in learning and development.
The Start With Heart Model
In contrast, the Start With Heart model created by our team at Graydin is specifically designed for all levels of an education context – students as young as five and senior leaders as old as 75 can apply the model. Drawing inspiration from the most effective business and life coaching models, then uniquely tailored to meet the specific needs of teachers, students, and parents in educational contexts, our model is human-centred.
The key distinguishing feature of the Start With Heart model is its emphasis on the 'Heart' - the coachee's passions, dreams, values, motivations, emotions and feelings. By starting with the Heart, the model acknowledges the fundamental importance of personal meaning, purpose, and engagement in the learning and growth process. This aligns with the Emotional Attractors Principles and the Neurobiology of coaching. It also matches the research on decision-making by the neuroscientist, Antonio Damasio.
Unlike GROW, which inherently assumes that the person has considered who they are and what they want, plus they have internal motivation to achieve it, the Start With Heart model starts by placing focus on those factors. It does not assume that the topic is always the topic, nor does it assume that the person is totally clear or motivated yet. Its goal is to help the person gain clarity, move from stuck to unstuck, and take action if needed.
Coaching the Person, Not Just the Problem
One of the main differences between the Start With Heart model and the GROW model is the focus on coaching the person, not just the problem. While GROW tends to focus on identifying and solving specific challenges or achieving defined goals, the Start With Heart model places emphasis on sustainable growth. The work of Heart allows for a deeper understanding of the individual's core values, aspirations and emotional landscape. It looks less at the behaviours on the surface and instead, looks under the hood to find out the root cause of what led to the behaviour.
By exploring the coachee's 'Heart' first, coaches help uncover the underlying motivations and beliefs that shape their thoughts, feelings and actions. This holistic approach ensures that the coaching conversation is grounded in the coachee's real self, and therefore any subsequent goal-setting is aligned with their wants and values.
When we coach people, not problems, we empower them to work through their own challenges in life. We give them agency and ownership with a framework for how to develop. When we coach people, not problems, we connect more deeply and are able to build an ongoing relationship of support.
A key divergence between the Start With Heart model and the GROW model lies in their approach to coaching. While the GROW model primarily centres on pinpointing and resolving specific issues or achieving predetermined objectives, the Start With Heart model places a premium on fostering sustainable personal growth. Rooted in the philosophy of delving into the individual's essence, aspirations, and emotional terrain, Start With Heart delves beneath the surface behaviours to unearth the underlying drivers of behaviour.
By initially delving into the coachee's 'Heart', coaches facilitate the exploration of the deep-seated motivations and beliefs that influence their thoughts, emotions and behaviours. This comprehensive approach ensures that coaching conversations are anchored in the coachee's authentic self, thereby aligning subsequent goal-setting with their genuine desires and values.
When we prioritise coaching the person, rather than merely addressing surface-level problems, we empower individuals to navigate their own life challenges. This approach imbues them with agency and accountability, offering a structured framework for personal development. Moreover, by focusing on the person, we forge deeper connections and cultivate enduring relationships of support.
The Importance of Alignment
Another key aspect of the Start With Heart model is its emphasis on alignment. The model is based on the premise that there is a strong connection between the heart, body and mind, and that lasting change requires congruence across these domains.
The exploration of the Heart is followed by the exploration of the Head - the realm of the logical, linear, thinking brain. This stage involves helping the coachee examine their current perspective, consider alternative viewpoints and develop a clear understanding of their options.
Only after the coachee has gained an understanding between their Heart and Head, the model moves on to the Step stage, where the focus shifts to taking action and implementing change. By ensuring that the coachee's actions are grounded in their core values and informed by a clear and purposeful mindset, the model promotes sustainable, meaningful growth.
The GROW model's Way Forward stage is primarily concerned with establishing specific action steps and securing the coachee's commitment to taking those steps. While this is undoubtedly important, it may not always guarantee that the chosen actions are fully aligned with the coachee's authentic self and deepest aspirations. This is something we are certain Whitmore would not have wanted.
By placing a strong emphasis on alignment and the integration of the coachee's Heart, Head and Step, the Start With Heart model is particularly well-suited for coaching in educational settings, where personal growth and development are paramount.
Navigating Emotional Terrain
In educational settings, coaching often involves navigating emotional terrain – after all, we're emotional beings. Students, teachers and parents grapple with a range of emotions, from excitement and curiosity to frustration, self-doubt and fear. The Start With Heart model recognises the importance of emotions and provides a framework for coaches to support their coachees in understanding and managing these types of experiences.
By starting with the Heart, coaches create a safe and supportive space for coachees to build emotional self-awareness through exploring and understanding their feelings. This emotional intelligence is crucial for fostering resilience, adaptability, and overall well-being, all of which are essential for thriving in educational environments.
In contrast, GROW does not explicitly address the emotional aspects of coaching. While GROW is effective in goal-oriented and performance-driven environments, it may not provide the necessary tools for coaches to navigate the complex emotional landscape often present in educational settings. In fact, the GROW model can often be seen as assuming that the coachee is emotionally ready and willing to engage in the coaching process, which may not always be the case.
Furthermore, the Start With Heart model's emphasis on emotional intelligence aligns with the growing recognition of the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) in education. SEL is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills that are vital for success in all areas of life. By incorporating SEL principles into the coaching process, the Start With Heart model equips coaches with the tools to support their coachees' emotional development, leading to more holistic and sustainable growth.
A Flexible and Adaptable Approach
One of the strengths of the Start With Heart model is its flexibility and adaptability to different coaching contexts within education. Whether coaching a student, teacher, or your student's parents, the model provides a consistent framework, a consistent approach, that can be tailored to the specific needs of the individual.
The model can be used in a five-minute chat or a 35-minute conversation. It can be used in a boardroom or in a classroom. It was designed for all stakeholders to use and understand, creating a common language that, although simple, is profound.
The GROW model, while straightforward and easy to follow, has limitations when it comes to coaching in educational settings. The model's structure and approach are not designed for brief, informal interactions, such as a five-minute chat between a teacher and a student. Moreover, the GROW model may not be suitable for use with young children, as it assumes a certain level of cognitive development and self-awareness that may not be present in younger learners. In these situations, a more flexible and adaptable coaching model, like the Start With Heart model, may be more appropriate, as it can be tailored to the specific needs and developmental stages of the coachee, whether it's a quick check-in or a conversation with a young child.
Both GROW and the Start With Heart model offer valuable frameworks for coaching in various contexts. While GROW has proven to be effective in goal-oriented and performance-driven environments, the Start With Heart model is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of educational settings.
By emphasising the importance of the Heart and focusing on coaching the person, not just the problem, the Start With Heart model promotes holistic growth and development that extends beyond the achievement of specific goals or the resolution of isolated challenges.
To learn more about how to start with heart and our coaching curriculum, enrol in our free, introductory coaching course, The Basics. It’s only 60-minute but provides a generous overview of the Start With Heart model and how it’s unique.