As coaches, we know the power of life coaching and how our client’s lives can be totally transformed. But did you know that coaching can actually re-wire your brain for success? This week’s blog has been written by one of our expert trainers, Lisa Read, read on to learn more about the neuroscience of positive change.
Those were the words Diane (not her real name), a coaching client, said to me recently. I feel emotional just thinking about that. Outwardly I’d seen her get fitter, improve relationships, and get a promotion. But what really delights me are the inner changes; increased confidence, valuing herself, feeling happier. I get to do a job that literally changes people’s lives. Coaching rocks!
It seems obvious when you think about it, but the way Diane’s brain is firing and wiring has changed as a result of her coaching. If it was working in exactly the same way as before, she’d still be thinking and behaving in the same way too. Actually, every experience we have changes our brain. Diane just chose to change hers in a really positive way by investing in coaching. Research and fMRI scans are now able to prove this, as a recent study, The Neuroscience of Good Coaching, shows. Additionally, you can also learn more about how fMRI scans can show the impact of inspirational coaching.
Goals:
A coach’s job is to help our clients achieve positive change. We do this by getting them to set goals. Goals help the brain by creating a vision of a future. The brain doesn’t have much access to the outside world (only through our retinas), so this compelling new future is just as ‘real’ to the brain as anything else… as long as we keep giving attention to it. This is where the next part comes in!
Focus: According to psychologists Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, “we spend at least half our time thinking about something other than our immediate surroundings, and most of this daydreaming doesn't make us happy.”. Coaches help their clients to focus on what matters and to daydream more positively.
Behaviour changes: We have billions of brain cells and even more synapses. In fact, one brain cell could be connected to thousands of other cells via these synapses, or junctions, in the brain. The synapses are actually tiny gaps, and they operate a bit like guardhouses for the chemical reactions that happen in the brain. They decide which chemicals are let in or out, and where they head to next. Where brain cells communicate well with one another via these synapses, this creates what’s known as a neural pathway. Coaches help our clients become aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviour so they can reinforce what’s working, and change what isn’t. This action rewires the brain.
Challenge:
We can accelerate positive behaviour by encouraging coaching clients to challenge themselves. Sometimes it helps to get them to do something different, however small. I have a coaching client who is two years off retirement, and whilst a positive man, he was honest with me in his first session (paid for by his employer) that he was a bit ‘long in the tooth’ to be setting goals or doing things differently.
I challenged him to do something different outside of work. In his case, he often went for walks, so his challenge was to walk a different route. He came back to his next session feeling more open to change. Fast forward a few months and he’s just been given feedback from his line manager that they are astounded how well he has adapted to changes at work.
He said, “it just goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks!”
He's right. Our ability to rewire our brains doesn’t disappear with age, we just stop trying to rewire it. It’s true that younger brains are more ‘plastic’ than older brains, but brains are designed to be flexible throughout our lives.
Reinforcement
Finally, another thing that coaches do that helps re-wire our clients’ brains is reinforcement. Our long-formed neural pathways don’t change instantly. If you’ve ever tried to learn a new language, you’ll know that you have to repeat new words often before the language becomes second nature. Change can take time when it comes to the brain. Each time a coach revisits the client’s goals with them, helps them to see their strengths, encourages them to see new perspectives or try different things, they are reinforcing the change, helping it to be more strongly wired.
When I began coaching in 2005 there wasn’t the strong evidence base to support coaching that there is now. However, even without research studies and brain scans to back it up, I knew back then that coaching had changed me for the better. I’d love to be able to go back in time and scan my brain before and after coaching! What’s most important is the real-life impact coaching has. Just like my client Diane, when we change our brains, we change our lives!
If you would like to find out more about the neuroscience of positive change, then Lisa runs our Neuroscience and Coaching training event which is part of our CPD for Coaches Programme, visit our online coaching training events calendar to book your place!
Lisa Read is an award winning professionally accredited coach, a qualified teacher, a Coaching Academy trainer and former senior school leader and SENDCo. She has led a successful coaching practice since 2006 and is a Licenced DISC trainer, Mental Fitness coach and HeartMath practitioner. Lisa holds qualifications in neuroscience, emotional intelligence and even nutrition! She has coached and run training courses internationally, including a world champion, thousands of school leaders, staff teams of Members of the European Parliament, and more than 70 MPs and their teams. Lisa has worked extensively with all of the major UK trade unions running a variety of coaching and training courses for them, including the Trade Union Official Apprenticeship. Lisa also volunteers as Vice-Chair of Governors for a large secondary school and for ten years she led the Coaching community for South Yorkshire. She loves yoga and family time and is currently learning Thai!
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