Why Brains Need Coaching! Part I
by Kathy Kee

In October 2007, when the research from 700 corporations was reported by personnel folks in Talent Management, it was no surprise that CEOs ranked coaching as their top strategy for driving results.  Out of 22 strategies and processes deemed the most critical for getting results, coaching was the #1 strategy that maintained focus influencing high levels of engagement, leadership flexibility, and performance.  In the last few years,  the work of top neuroscientists has provided more and more evidence to us as educators that the actions used in skilled coaching is the practice that will dramatically produce the changes demanded in our beloved profession of education. 

Those of us who are, and have been, aficionados of coaching for years are fighting back the “we told you so,” and the ubiquitous teenage, “duh!”  The reality is that schools are running so hard to meet all the demands that come at them from politicians and media; the natural tendency is to stay in a survival mode of moving from one demand or crisis to another.  As a result, time for quiet thinking and reflection is a perceived luxury that  seems and feels too self-interested, too personal, and certainly not what would be needed by the competent leader.   As we consider the past 25 years, it is not difficult to think of each decade and the movements each decade has demanded of us as educators.  The message has continued to be -- “move this way, now move this way, go here, go there, do this and oh, yes, why are you not doing this?”  Moving from one quick fix to another, from one consultant to another has become the standard -- because “we are doing something!”  We are hard wired that if something doesn’t create the change we need immediately, we move on to the next perceived thing that will. 

In order to more effectively support those who will accomplish the demands of our work in a way that is balanced with joy, over the next three months we will explore three factors or reasons that neuroscience has uncovered to support why brains need coaching.  They are as follows;

• Change is Hard  (June)
• Attention: How It Changes the Brain  (July), and the fascinating
• Anatomy of Insight  (August)

Change is Hard!

The first reason the brain needs coaching is because CHANGE IS HARD!  The brain is full of paradoxes, in that there are so many things that work against one another.  Yet, in the brain, change is happening every second.  Like a thunderstorm, the brain works continually at a high level of activity; it just creates little change.  Wide-scale change is very different.  The physics principle of homeostasis tells us that when one tries to change something, as small or large as a habit or a system, there is a natural force that pushes back.

For simplicity, the two parts of the brain we want to consider are the working memory and long-term memory which we will call “hard wiring.”   The working memory is the staging area for decisions, problem solving, critical thinking, etc.  Working memory is very limited in focus, like a computer; where one may open numerous pages, but can really only work with one page at a time.  Our working memory gets tired easily and can become irritable or anxious, especially if it perceives threat. The challenge when we coach people is that we want them to use their working memory.   In long term memory or “hard wiring,” the space is huge, and it takes little effort to use, similar to the amount of effort given to “how to drive,”after years as a driver. 

The brain has intentionally pushed millions of things we know, do, or have known, into this part of the brain.  It does this by continually moving things to an unconscious state of usefulness -- of which we are not even aware.

Therefore, change is hard because of homeostasis and because the brain is eagerly and actively moving knowledge and skills into “hard wiring.” As leaders we need people to be active in the working brain to un- hardwire. 

Additionally, a common element of the brain is social status.  If the brain feels threatened socially, if status is threatened, such as if we think someone might think less of us, the brain becomes tense or overwhelmed.  The electrical activity that happens can be forceful, such as when someone says, “May I give you some feedback?”  Immediately our physical system sends a burst of cortisol, increases blood pressure, and creates tension.  Physical systems and hardwiring throw up all types of road blocks to our best thinking.  Coaching creates a safe place for the brain to pause and focus on the intention required for creating new wiring!

Next time, how attention changes the brain. 

Reflection:  To continue to facilitate my personal effectiveness what new wiring do I want to cultivate?

References:  The Neuroscience of Leadership by David Rock and Jeffrey Schwartz ; Quiet Leadership by David Rock,  and Coaching and the Brain Teleclasses led by David Rock 2008, 2009. Talent Management, October 2007.

Kathy Kee is a professional coach and consultant, “rehired” after 38 years in education. As an Assistant Superintendent, Kathy led her Texas district to the highest ranking of Exemplary by coaching and supporting her school leaders and teachers to their very best results. She is the past President of NSDC and TSDC and currently serves as Co-director of Teaching and Learning for Coaching School Results. To find out more about Sandee and our other coaches, go to www.coachingschoolresults.com and click on “coaches.”

*Leaders can learn more about the coaching process and extend skills to implement coaching by attending one of our upcoming seminars. See details below.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

NOTABLE QUOTES

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips speak only words of kindness!
- Audrey Hepburn

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

http://www.coachingschoolresults.com/newsletters/index.html

Newsletter Editor & E-News Contact, Vicky Dearing
vicky@coachingschoolresults.com
214-493-2503