Configuration
Managerial coaching: GROW vs CLEAR vs OSKAR
Comparison of the three most-used managerial coaching frameworks (GROW, CLEAR, and OSKAR), with selection criteria by conversation type, sample questions per phase, and how to combine elements without losing structure.
GROW, CLEAR, and OSKAR are the three managerial coaching frameworks with the broadest global adoption. They don't compete. They serve different scenarios. GROW is the most structured for solving a concrete objective; CLEAR emphasizes the contract and review cycle in executive coaching; OSKAR is solutions-focused, ideal when the coachee arrives stuck in the problem. This guide helps you choose the right framework for the conversation you're about to have.
Table of contents
- The three frameworks at a glance
- GROW: when and how
- CLEAR: when and how
- OSKAR: when and how
- Frequently asked questions
The three frameworks at a glance
| Framework | Origin | Phases | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| GROW | Whitmore, 1992 | Goal, Reality, Options, Will | Manager coaching a report on a clear objective |
| CLEAR | Hawkins, 1985 | Contracting, Listening, Exploring, Action, Review | External or executive coach, recurring sessions |
| OSKAR | Jackson & McKergow, 2002 | Outcome, Scaling, Know-how, Affirm, Review | Coachee stuck in the problem, prefers solution focus |
Highlight: GROW asks "what do you want to achieve?". CLEAR asks "what is our contract as coach and coachee?". OSKAR asks "on a scale of 1 to 10, where are you relative to where you want to be?". Each opening invites a different conversation.
GROW: when and how
GROW is the most used managerial coaching framework worldwide. Its simplicity makes it ideal for managers coaching their reports in 30–45-minute sessions.
The 4 phases
G (Goal). What do you want to achieve in this conversation? What do you want to achieve in the next three months? Distinguish session goal (concrete deliverable today) from underlying goal (the larger horizon change).
Sample questions: "What would a satisfactory outcome of this session look like for you?", "How would success look if this went well?".
R (Reality). Where are you now relative to that goal? Data, not opinions. This is where GROW distinguishes itself from an informal chat: it invests time in mapping the territory before jumping to solutions.
Sample questions: "Tell me what's happening now", "what have you tried?", "what result did you get?".
O (Options). What could you do? The coach accompanies option generation without imposing theirs. The rule: the coachee must produce at least 3 options before evaluating any.
Sample questions: "What options do you see?", "what else?", "if there were no constraints, what would you do?".
W (Will / Way forward). What will you do? Concrete, observable commitment with a timeline. Without this phase, GROW stays in good intentions.
Sample questions: "What will you concretely do?", "by when?", "what would make it hard for you to follow through?".
When GROW fits
- Conversation with a clear, bounded objective.
- Coachee with some agency and resources.
- Single sessions (not only longer coaching programs).
- Internal manager or external coach in a single session or short cycle.
CLEAR: when and how
CLEAR is Hawkins's framework, popular in executive coaching and supervision. Its differentiator is the explicit contracting phase and the explicit review phase (two elements GROW doesn't emphasize).
The 5 phases
C (Contracting). What is the purpose of this session? What expectations do we each hold? How do we measure success? The contract is renewed at the start of each session, not just at the start of the program.
L (Listening). Deep active listening. The coach doesn't diagnose yet; reflects, paraphrases, asks for clarification.
E (Exploring). Joint investigation of the dimensions of the topic. Here you bring hypothetical questions, pattern exploration, and identification of underlying beliefs.
A (Action). What will you do? Equivalent to GROW's W.
R (Review). Reflection on the session itself. What did we achieve? What do we adjust for next time? Review is what distinguishes a coaching session from a conversation.
When CLEAR fits
- Formal executive coaching with an explicit contract.
- Recurring programs (monthly, biweekly) over several months.
- Senior coachees who require more reflective space.
- Clinical or professional supervision.
OSKAR: when and how
OSKAR applies solutions-focused principles to coaching. Ideal when the coachee arrives stuck in problem description and needs to pivot toward possibility.
The 5 phases
O (Outcome). What does the situation look like when the problem is solved? The miracle question: "If tonight a miracle happened and tomorrow you woke up and the problem was gone, what would you notice as different?".
S (Scaling). "On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is the ideal outcome and 1 is the worst, where are you now?". And the key follow-up: "what got you to X and not to X minus one?". This pulls out resources you already have.
K (Know-how). What do you already know how to do that's gotten you to X? What exceptions (moments when the problem didn't appear) have you had?
A (Affirm + Action). Explicit acknowledgment of resources identified, followed by a small action. The question is "what would move you from X to X plus one?", not "how do you get to 10?".
R (Review). What changed? What does the next step look like?
When OSKAR fits
- Coachee stuck in problem narrative.
- Brief sessions (15–30 minutes) focused on small progress.
- Team or individual with strong reflective capacity but low activation.
- Contexts where emphasis on the problem could increase resistance.
Adapted from the CauceOS skills bank, frameworks: GROW (Whitmore 1992), CLEAR (Hawkins), OSKAR (Jackson & McKergow 2002).
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine frameworks in the same session? Yes, with judgment. A common combination: use the OSKAR scaling question inside GROW's R (Reality) phase. What damages the session is jumping between frameworks without an internal structure; the coachee gets disoriented.
Does the system support all three frameworks as modalities? Yes. Each modality has live suggestions aligned with its phases. For example, in GROW the copilot alerts you when you've spent 15 minutes without moving past the Reality phase. See how modalities work.
Which is best for virtual coaching sessions? All three work virtually. GROW benefits from its structural simplicity; CLEAR demands more presence and stable audiovisual connection; OSKAR uses hypothetical questions that carry well over video.
How many sessions does a coaching process typically take? GROW: 1 session works for a conversation; a full GROW program is typically 6–10 biweekly sessions. CLEAR: programs of 8–14 monthly sessions. OSKAR: very brief, 4–8 sessions sufficient for most cases.
Do these frameworks work for team coaching? GROW and CLEAR scale reasonably well to team coaching with adjustments. OSKAR is especially well-suited for team retrospectives. There are specific variants (Hawkins's Team Coaching Model) for sustained group work.
Related articles
- Performance review 1:1: script and mistakes
- Difficult conversations: negative feedback
- How modalities work
The recommendations in this article are educational material. Managerial coaching practice requires developing specific competencies and, when offered professionally, typically requires certification from bodies like ICF or EMCC.
Still have questions? Email us at [email protected].
Related articles
Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at [email protected]