I’ve finally put the GROW model on marcr.net by request. Why has it taken so long? Well… too much going on in my life and a lot of other things were more important for a variety of reasons. As far as the model itself is concerned, I’m not sure how I feel about it really. It’s a very useful model, no doubt about that, but I also have some serious reservations when it comes to its genetics and how it’s going to be perceived by some clients, if they recognise it while using it with them of course.
None of the models and theories we use need to, or should be communicated openly with the client, but this model has a background in business development, to put it bluntly: for businesses to ‘get more out their workers’, which as a sociologist, reminds me of the Taylorism and Fordism of the start of the 20th century. Even though the world of business, and indeed the world of work, is very different now, it still makes me slightly allergic to this. Part of this is my personality of course. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the ‘slap dash’ approach to business management either!
All this doesn’t mean we’re not able to that context (almost) and use it as a tool in career coaching and guidance, where it really works I’m sure. Within career coaching and guidance it’s attracted a good following from both academics/theoreticians and practitioners alike. Quite rightly so, in my view. Models like this can only have a scaffolding function to hang other approaches, theories and techniques on, however. They provide a framework around which to structure the intervention and as such, can be seen or applied to rigidly. Care needs to be taken to avoid doing so and to focus on the client’s needs first and foremost. Models only work so far…
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