Close the GROW loop with session review

At the start of the next session, review what was committed and what actually happened before setting a new goal.

Why it works

Without a structured review, the Will stage becomes symbolic — good intentions that evaporate between sessions. Starting the next session with a factual account-back creates accountability without shame: the conversation is about what happened and what was learned, not about passing judgment. This feedback loop also teaches the coachee to notice what conditions led to follow-through versus what led to avoidance.

How to do it

1. Begin each session: "Last time you committed to X by [date] — what happened?"
2. Listen to the account without judgment; ask what they learned from whatever outcome occurred.
3. If the action happened: "What made it possible?" (reinforce the conditions).
4. If it didn’t happen: "What got in the way?" (diagnose the gap, then revise the Will stage).

Evidence

Accountability review — comparing intention to action and learning from the gap — is consistent with feedback loop research in behavior change and with after-action review practice in organizational settings. (clinical)

The specific benefit of session-open review in coaching is practitioner consensus; systematic evidence on the practice as an isolated intervention is limited.

Common mistake

Starting every new session fresh without reviewing the previous commitment — which signals that the Will stage was never really serious, and gradually erodes commitment across sessions.