A coaching tool · based on Rubin, Plovnick and Fry
A top-down team diagnostic. GRPI stands for Goals, Roles, Processes and Interpersonal Relationships — four levels a team needs to have aligned, in this order.
About this exercise and facilitation guide
GRPI is one of the most widely used frameworks for understanding why a team works or doesn't. The name comes from the four levels a team needs to have aligned, in this order: Goals, Roles, Processes, Interpersonal relationships.
Diagnose from the top down
When tensions surface, the instinct is to say "we have a relationship problem." Most of the time, the real cause sits higher up the pyramid: people clash (I) because the processes are unclear (P), which are unclear because the roles aren't defined (R), which are muddled because the shared goal isn't clear (G). The starting question is almost always: "Are we all aligned on what we're actually trying to achieve?"
Facilitation guide
Always start at the top. Don't move on to Roles until the goal is clear to everyone; don't get into Relationships until the processes are understood.
Treat differences in scores as data, not as something to correct. Ask: "What does the person with the lower score see that the person with the higher score doesn't?"
Look for the cause, not the symptom. A conflict (I) is often the echo of an unclear goal (G).
Close with concrete actions: pick 1–2 of the lowest-scoring dimensions and a single small step for each.
Your data stays on your device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
G
Goals
The team's shared, clear direction. Everyone understands the purpose, the expected results and the priorities the same way. This is the foundation.
Are we all aligned on what we're actually trying to achieve?
Alignment score (0–10)
not at all truepartlyfully
Questions to explore
If each of you wrote the team's purpose on a piece of paper, how similar would the wording be?
What concrete result would count as "success" for the team over the next 3 months?
What are the top three priorities right now, and do you agree on their order?
What should we not do, in order to stay focused on the goal?
R
Roles
Who does what, and where one role ends and another begins. This is where overlaps, gaps and "I thought you were handling that" conflicts show up.
Does everyone clearly know what they have to do and where their role ends?
Clarity score (0–10)
not at all truepartlyfully
Questions to explore
Are there tasks "everyone" owns, and therefore no one actually does?
Where do roles overlap, and where are there gaps no one covers?
Who makes the final call when you don't agree?
What expectations do you have of your colleagues that you've never said out loud?
P
Processes
How the team works together: how it makes decisions, how it communicates, how it solves problems, how it manages the flow of work.
Do we have clear ways to decide, communicate and solve problems?
Clarity score (0–10)
not at all truepartlyfully
Questions to explore
How do you make important decisions, by consensus, by vote, or does one person decide?
What information struggles to flow through the team, and why?
Which meeting or step in the workflow feels like a waste of time?
When a problem comes up, is there an agreed way to raise and resolve it?
I
Relationships
The quality of relationships: trust, openness, feedback, the way conflict is handled. The most visible level, but the least productive one to tackle first.
Is there trust, openness and a healthy way of handling conflict?
Climate score (0–10)
not at all truepartlyfully
Questions to explore
How safe do you feel saying "I don't know" or "I got it wrong" in this team?
What does a conflict look like here, is it talked through openly or avoided?
Do you give each other feedback? How does it feel?
What would need to happen for trust in the team to go up by one point?
Action plan
Pick 1–2 of the lowest-scoring dimensions and a single small step for each.
If we could improve just one level of GRPI in the coming month, which would have the biggest impact on the rest, and what's the first step?