The GROW Cards - New Executive Coaching Software

Category: Coaching Notes

by Keith Bound

Coaching notes Traditionally when companies implement a coaching culture they tend to invest only in the top executives. With this approach the organisation suffers by creating a two tier system and the high investment not being utilised effectively, impacting the bottom line.

Therefore the main challenge is to develop a coaching culture from the shop floor to CEO within a short time frame and within a specified budget. The problem is companies are not usually provided with practical coaching support tools that everyone can learn quickly and use from the shop floor to CEO.

As a practising coach and NLP master practitioner with a background in product design and innovation I have been able to develop a new creative process to help clients make sustainable behavioural changes without the coach having to be available all the time. This new approach is a more client self directed process.

Firstly, I reviewed the basic elements of coaching from question type to listening skills and the current electronic support systems. I then asked my clients "what is working for you?". By emailing a few insightful questions, I was able to reinvigorate their enthusiasm and motivation. This led me to produce questions for the client on some flash cards before they left each session. The questions reflected the four stage coaching process of the GROW model. The client was instructed to select a card at random from their chosen process stage: Goal, Reality, Options or Will.

This approach seemed to work as a self-coaching process when the coach wasn’t around and was similar to other 'journalising' techniques. However, questioning techniques can be limiting. Clients may still answer the questions from a frame of reference that puts up barriers to progress.

One way of overcoming self-limiting beliefs is by using creativity to change your perspective. I experimented with photographic imagery with coaching clients and was amazed by the results. By allowing the client to reflect on an image and relate it to their situation they were able to develop new solutions – it seemed to trigger their imagination and kick start the creative process.

The next stage was to link questions with images. I found that by using an image as a background with a question on top, it reinforced the meaning of the question and the images allowed the client to explore their imagination and develop new solutions much more easily than if I was just using questioning techniques.

I developed a pack of coaching cards around questions and the GROW coaching model which can be used as a purely self-coaching tool. This has opened up new possibilities. Companies no longer need to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop a coaching culture. This new system provides the possibility of culture change in a more cost effective way.

The GROW cards™ software program combines GROW with animated photographic imagery and empowering questions. This creative and reflective process enables people to grasp core business challenges quickly by accessing their unconscious thoughts and ideas. This takes them on a journey of self-discovery stimulating creativity and idea generation. By aligning the conscious and unconscious mind through deep reflection they break through barriers and develop new solutions through a step by step process. More importantly the cards engage the user at a deep emotional level creating the self awareness for personal leadership growth.

The downloadable software programs are sold in a variety of formats depending on budget and knowledge of coaching. They include a starter version with eight cards to the professional version with 32 cards and a selection of four card layout formats. The programs all include full instructions and a demonstration of a card layout. The Random card layout has the option of moving the cards across the screen by a click of a mouse so the user can create their journey of self-discovery. There is also the popular card layout called "programme your day" which allows the user to select one card from the whole pack. This card acts as a catalyst to inspire and motivate you for the day ahead.

Keith Bound is the designer of the GROW cards™ and the Image Dynamics™ process

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