Most of the United States is starting our third full week of working and living completely remote from our work colleagues and partners. The routines are getting a little easier, the technologies are getting a little friendlier, and people we are working with seem genuinely more engaged and attentive to 
things that are priorities.
In the new GROW Coaching business simulation that I wrote and released a few months ago, there is a character named Chris who worked in headquarters and opted to take a remote job to expand her capabilities and advance her career. Knowing that she would be remote for the first time in her career, the simulation sets up several scenarios where the participant learning about coaching by taking the role of Chris’ Manager must give Chris some feedback and coaching to get her more comfortable and productive in her role after she has settled in.
Taking on the role of Chris’ manager in the simulation, the participant applies the GROW Coaching model throughout the different scenarios and it’s a great learning experience for practicing collaborate goal setting, acknowledging the reality of the situation, setting the right objectives for improvement, and finding the right way forward to achieve the goals.
As I was thinking about our new reality of being remote and coaching remote employees, I started to develop an outline for a new module that I will include in our virtual GROW Coaching simulation on the types of new and unique questions leaders should be asking in strong GROW conversations.
As a preview, here are seven important areas related to working remotely and the types of GROW Coaching questions you can integrate into your regularly scheduled GROW one-on-ones (you can download a PDF of the question at the bottom of the page):
Remote Workplace
- Can you share with me an overview of your remote set-up?
- What does it look like?
- Is your remote set-up comfortable and productive?
- What are your goals for adjusting and modifying your remote workplace?
Communication
- How have your communications been like? With colleagues, customers, vendors, etc.?
- What’s your preferred method of communications when working remotely?
- Have you shared your preferred method of communicating with others?
- Is there anything I can do to help improve your remote communications?
- What are your goals for improving your remote communications?
Ownership
- Do you feel like you have ownership of your remote work, projects, and tasks?
- Do you feel accountable for accomplishing your remote work, projects, and tasks?
- What can I do to help you take more ownership in your remote environment?
- What are your goals in terms of taking more ownership while remote?
Socialization
- What is the reality of your remote socialization situation?
- What level of socialization do you prefer when working remotely?
- Have you shared your remote socialization needs and desires with others?
- What are your remote socialization goals?
Collaboration
- What is the current reality of your remote collaboration situation?
- Are you able to accomplish your remote work, projects, and tasks through remote collaboration?
- What are your shorter-term goals to improve collaboration?
Productivity
- What s the current reality of your current productivity?
- Do you have the tools you need to be as productive as possible?
- How can I help you become more productive?
- What are your enhanced productivity goals?
Wellness
- What’s the current reality of your overall wellness?
- Do you feel you are on a productive routine?
- Are you getting enough rest, water, and exercise?
- What are your wellness goals?
In summary, although it’s a new world, some of the old tools like GROW Coaching actually have more relevance now then they did before. Please use these tools to help enhance your leadership approach and your GROW Coaching conversations.
