Coaching Conversations for Managers
Structured module teaching the GROW coaching framework with reflection prompts and practice dialogue scenarios.
Who this is for
New and recently promoted managers moving from directing work to developing people
Learners will be able to
- Structure a one-to-one coaching conversation using the four GROW stages: Goal, Reality, Options and Way forward
- Ask open, non-leading questions that draw out the coachee's own thinking rather than steering them to your answer
- Demonstrate active listening by summarising and reflecting back before responding
- Convert a coaching conversation into a written development plan with owned actions and review dates
- Recognise situations where coaching is the wrong tool and a performance or capability conversation is needed instead
Template prompt
“Create a module on coaching conversations for new managers covering the GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Way-forward), powerful questioning techniques, active listening skills, and creating development plans. Include reflection prompts and practice scenarios.”
This prompt is fully editable. Customise it to match your audience, regulations, and learning objectives before generating.
What the 8 sections cover
- 1
Manager as coach: telling versus asking
Context section contrasting directive management with coaching, and when each style earns its keep in a new manager's week.
- 2
The GROW model at a glance
Visual diagram of the Goal, Reality, Options, Way-forward cycle with flashcards defining each stage and its signature questions.
- 3
Setting the Goal
How to open a coaching conversation and shape a specific, outcome-focused goal — with a reflection prompt on a live situation from the learner's own team.
- 4
Exploring Reality without interrogating
Scored check: distinguish powerful open questions from leading or closed ones across a set of realistic examples, with feedback on why each works or fails.
- 5
Generating Options
Techniques for drawing out the coachee's ideas before offering your own, including the 'what else?' discipline and holding silence.
- 6
Committing to the Way Forward
Turning options into specific actions with owners, timescales and the support the manager will provide — plus how to test real commitment.
- 7
Practice dialogue: coaching Jordan on presentation nerves
Applied scenario walking the full GROW cycle with decision points, so learners choose questions and see how the conversation unfolds.
- 8
Building the development plan and recap
Template for capturing outcomes in a development plan, followed by a scored final knowledge check and key takeaways.
Structure is representative — the generator adapts sections to your edited prompt and passes every package through interactivity and visual-density quality gates.
Topics covered
Make it yours
- Upload your appraisal or development plan template so the final section teaches managers to complete your actual paperwork.
- Swap the practice scenario in the prompt for a situation your managers genuinely face, such as coaching a strong performer who wants promotion with no vacancy available.
- Ask for an extended 20-minute version with a second practice dialogue if this forms part of a formal management development programme.
Frequently asked questions
What is the GROW coaching model?
GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Options and Way forward (sometimes 'Will'). Developed in the UK and popularised by Sir John Whitmore's book Coaching for Performance, it gives a manager a simple four-stage structure: agree what the coachee wants to achieve, explore the current situation honestly, generate possible approaches, then commit to specific actions. It is one of the most widely taught coaching frameworks in UK management development because it works in a 20-minute one-to-one as well as a formal coaching session.
How is coaching different from mentoring or managing performance?
Coaching draws answers out of the individual through questions; mentoring puts answers in, based on the mentor's experience; performance management sets and enforces standards. The module closes with explicit guidance on the boundary: if there is a conduct issue or a required standard is not being met, a coaching conversation is not a substitute for your organisation's performance or capability process.
How often should managers hold coaching conversations?
There is no fixed rule, but the approach embeds fastest when coaching questions are woven into existing one-to-ones rather than saved for set-piece sessions. Many UK organisations aim for a meaningful development-focused conversation at least monthly, with the annual or half-yearly review then becoming a summary of what has already been discussed rather than a surprise.
Can I include our own development plan template?
Yes. Upload your development plan or appraisal form when generating from this template and the final section will mirror your headings, so managers practise completing the exact document they will use. You can also add your competency framework so the practice scenario references your organisation's language.
Ready to make it yours?
Customise the prompt, generate a draft, then review the content and SCORM package before delivery.
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