What does it really take to help someone become a confident, self-directed learner or worker?
Gerald Grow, a professor of journalism, posed this question more than 30 years ago and developed what he called the Staged Self-Directed Learning Model (SSDL). His insights remain deeply relevant today for schools and workplaces alike.
A Primer on Grow’s Model
Grow’s model begins with a simple but powerful truth: not all learners are equally ready for autonomy. Some need structure and direction; others are eager for guidance and persuasion; still others thrive with collaboration and facilitation. A few can take the reins entirely, charting their own course with little external support.
He identified four stages of learner readiness:
Stage 1: Dependent – Learners need structure, clarity, and close supervision.
At this stage, learners are not yet ready to take responsibility for their own progress. They often lack confidence, prior experience, or the skills to navigate independently. Clear directions, step-by-step guidance, and close monitoring are essential to ensure success. The role of the educator or supervisor here is to provide firm structure and consistent feedback, creating an environment where the learner can feel safe while building foundational skills.
Stage 2: Interested – Learners are willing but not yet able; they need encouragement and rationale.
These learners are motivated and curious, but they don’t yet have the knowledge or strategies to succeed on their own. They respond best when given a clear “why” behind tasks and when instructors or managers act as coaches who explain, persuade, and encourage. The goal is to channel their enthusiasm into productive habits and scaffold their growing independence. At this stage, learners begin experimenting with responsibility but still rely on support and direction to stay on track.
Stage 3: Involved – Learners are capable but hesitant; they benefit from participation, facilitation, and collaboration.
By Stage 3, learners have the ability to handle tasks but may still wrestle with doubt, inconsistency, or a lack of motivation. They thrive when given opportunities to collaborate, contribute ideas, and participate in decision-making. The educator or manager becomes more of a facilitator, supporting learners in applying their skills and building confidence through shared responsibility. This is often the stage where durable skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving take root and flourish.
Stage 4: Self-Directed – Learners are both able and willing; they thrive with freedom, mentoring, and self-evaluation.
Here, learners have the confidence, competence, and internal motivation to take full ownership of their learning or work. They set their own goals, monitor progress, and evaluate outcomes with minimal external oversight. The role of the educator or supervisor shifts to mentor or advisor, offering guidance only when needed. At this stage, learners demonstrate the durable skills employers value most—independence, leadership, critical thinking, and the ability to continuously grow.
The key insight: effective teaching or training means matching support to a learner’s current stage while nudging them toward the next.
Why It Matters in Education
In classrooms, we sometimes assume every student is equally ready for independent learning. But a ninth grader who has always relied on strict structure won’t flourish if we suddenly ask them to run their own inquiry project. On the flip side, a student already confident in directing their own work will be stifled by too much structure.
Grow’s model reminds us that the educator’s role is not fixed. Teachers must sometimes be a director, sometimes a coach, sometimes a facilitator, and sometimes a mentor. The art lies in knowing when to shift.
For those of us advancing durable skills—like communication, collaboration, leadership, and critical thinking—this is essential. These skills develop differently at each stage of self-direction. A dependent learner might practice communication through structured sentence stems, while a self-directed learner might hone communication through leading a community forum. Both are practicing the same skill, but with stage-appropriate scaffolding.
Why It Matters in Employment
The workplace isn’t so different from the classroom. New employees may start at Stage 1 or 2, needing structured training and close guidance. Over time, with experience and encouragement, they become collaborators and eventually autonomous contributors.
For employers, this means that simulations, training programs, and professional development can’t be “one size fits all.” A Stage 1 employee may need clear scenarios with immediate feedback, while a Stage 4 employee benefits from open-ended projects that mirror real challenges.
Supervisors, like educators, must adjust their style: directive for new hires, coaching for rising talent, facilitative for experienced team members, and mentoring for advanced professionals.
The Durable Skills Connection
At its heart, Grow’s model is about progression—helping people move from dependence to autonomy. What makes that journey possible are the very competencies we call durable skills. These skills are not simply end goals; they are also the building blocks that allow learners to advance from one stage to the next.
Take metacognition: learners must first develop the ability to reflect on their own thinking and recognize their current stage before they can take steps to grow. Without that self-awareness, it’s nearly impossible to move from dependent to more independent learning. Similarly, a growth mindset acts as the fuel for persistence—encouraging learners to embrace challenges, push through setbacks, and keep moving toward greater autonomy.
In the middle stages, collaboration and communication become essential tools. They allow learners to work productively with peers, test ideas in social contexts, and gain confidence in their contributions. These same skills then evolve into outcomes, as learners demonstrate fluency in working with diverse groups and articulating their ideas effectively.
Finally, leadership emerges most fully in self-directed learners. It is both the culmination of the progression and the skill that enables learners to take ownership, set meaningful goals, motivate others, and drive change.
Seen this way, durable skills are two-sided: they are the tools of progression, equipping learners to advance through the stages, and the outcomes of progression, the mature capacities we see expressed most fully in independent, self-directed people.
Moving Forward
Grow’s insights offer a roadmap for both educators and employers, reminding us that self-direction is not innate—it is nurtured.
For educators: The model underscores the importance of matching teaching style to student readiness. A classroom of dependent learners may need structure and direction, while a classroom of involved or self-directed learners needs more opportunities for choice, collaboration, and autonomy. The real artistry of teaching lies in knowing when to shift roles—from director to coach to facilitator to mentor—and in using resources that gradually scaffold learners toward greater independence.
For employees: The model offers a lens of self-awareness. Recognizing where you are on the journey can be empowering—whether you need more guidance, encouragement, or space to lead. Durable skills like metacognition and growth mindset become practical tools here, helping you both reflect honestly on your current stage and push yourself into new, more challenging contexts where growth can happen.
For employers: The model is a reminder that autonomy is not a starting point—it is an outcome. New hires may need directive coaching, while mid-career professionals thrive when given collaborative opportunities, and seasoned leaders benefit most from mentoring relationships and open-ended challenges. Providing stage-appropriate supports not only increases engagement and retention but also accelerates the growth of durable skills across the workforce.
As we continue to advance durable skills in both learning environments and workplaces, Grow’s model gives us a reminder worth heeding: self-direction doesn’t happen by accident. It is cultivated, stage by stage, through the right balance of support and challenge. By recognizing where people are and equipping them with the right tools, we help learners and workers not only gain durable skills but also become the kind of self-directed individuals who can thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Learn more about America Succeeds’ Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework here.
