Options On A Driving Lesson

Options on a driving lesson is an important part of a relatively new way of delivering driving lessons.  This technique has been slowly phased into use over the past ten years or so.  Aptly named GROW, this technique focuses on raising awareness and responsibility in the individual being coached. 

The coaching model or GROW can be applied to many different disciplines from sports or academic learning to the development of managers and senior leaders.  This approach is the most popular coaching tool not just in Middlesbrough or the U.K. but possibly the world.   In our industry it’s used to help the learners to GROW into safe drivers.

Options Stage In The GROW Model

The OPTIONS stage is the third part of the grOw model.  You may want to start with our blog on GOAL SETTING and then move on to our REALITY before continuing.

All Caught Up ?

Let’s take a look at the third stage of the GROW model –

Options

The options stage is seen by many leading industry experts as the most important stage of the GROW model.  In the options stage the coachee (learner driver) will not just decide on one single avenue to a set goal or problem but is encouraged to consider different options.   

Having options is important as choice helps the coachee feel empowered and in control.  This feeling is magnified if the learner driver provides their own options and moves forward with them.

Example Of Encouraging Options

If we just think of a common problem we might encounter early on in a learner drivers progresion. 

Turning Left from major road to minor road and swinging out wide into oncoming traffic.   

• (Coach)  Did you notice what happened there
• (Coachee) Yeh we nearly crashed
• (Coach) Why did that happen
• (Coachee) I think it was too fast
• (Coach) What could you do differently next time?
• (Coachee) Brake more
• (Coach) Yeh sounds good, slow the car down a bit.  Any other ways or options to slow the car down?
• (Coachee) Err not sure
• (Coach) What gear were you in?  How sharp was the corner
•  (Coachee) Hmm second, it was a bit tight maybe try gear one
• (Coach) How was the steering ——————————-

With the right questions the coach can help the learner driver come up with multiple options to aim for improvement.  Instead of just telling them the answer their guided to come up with their own plans to progress.  It may not always to be that easy to coach a learner driver into coming up with options just like that, but hopefully you get the jist of it.

Mind Maps For Creative Options

Another great tool we like to use to help your learner driver generate different avenues or options to a problem or goal is the use of mind maps.

A mind map can be more visually stimulating than just thinking alone.  Mind maps are great ways to visually encourage creativity in the learner driver when considering different options. 

Some of our instructors use a white board and different coloured pens to really get the creative juices flowing.  

The idea is to write the problem in the middle of the board and then write down different solutions around the problem.  If solutions are wrote linear starting from the top to bottom the coachee may perceive their first solution as the best and discard the other choices.  whereas scattering them around the problem allows then to consider the advantages and disadvantages without bias. 

Moving Forwards From Options

The final part of the four part system is the Way Forward step where the learner driver decides on an option and tries it out.  More on this to come later.

If you have any option questions that are getting positive results out on lessons.  Please feel free to comment below.

For any help with driver related questions please find a friendly instructor here.