Listen and ask – many brains are smarter than one

"S/he who asks leads" – why do we do it so rarely, then? Have you noticed that most people prefer to give answers rather than asking questions? Why don't we use the potential of well-posed questions that can be clarifying, activating, goal-oriented, broadening perspectives, promoting innovation and helping in decision-making? Which of the most effective and compact solution methods only consists of 4 question versions?

1. GOAL: Where do you want to go? What is the goal? What is it like when you get there?
2. REALITY: Where are you now? What is the situation like? What do you need to get to your goal?
3. OPTIONS: What can you do? What can you build on? Where do you find ideas?
4. WILL: What are you going to do? How will you proceed? What are your next/first steps?"

With GROW solutions can be found together. And above all, solutions are found at all via a method. With these future-oriented, solution- and action-oriented questions, you analyze the needs and foster and brainstorm possible solutions. People often additionally tend to ask “why”.  Before doing that, compare the invasive effect of backward-looking question "why" as opposed to the future-oriented GROW principle. Here’s to good question success. Whom will you ask next/first?

The GROW principle as a coaching method was first published by Sir John Whitmore 1984, currently available as: Whitmore, J. (2024): Coaching for Performance. Hachette UK: John Murray Business.