How brain science can change coaching...

I love evidence based, scientific research about coaching and sports...here's a summary of a great article from "Psychology Today" called Wired for Success: How to fulfull your potential by Ray Williams (full article here).

• Because the brain operates in a quantum environment, our perceptions and self-talk alter the connections and pathways in our brains. Whatever we focus our "attention" on changes or creates new brain connections; you think, you feel, you act. 

• The connections in our brains form "mental maps" of reality. Whatever we expect to experience, is what we actually experience; goals, goals, goals! Positive outlook. Optimist.

• Focusing our attention on solutions or new thinking is a better strategy than focusing on analyzing problems from the past, because the latter will only reinforce the problems; "next shot" or "next play" mentality.

• If leaders want to become more effective coaches themselves they need to learn to stop giving unsolicited advice to people, or if it is given, to be unattached to their ideas and present them as options to people; we do not own ideas; we share ideas, are open to other's ideas, and are constantly seeking new and better methods for improvement.

• Coaches need to be adept at reading peoples' body language, particularly when they have "insights" about their behavior. These insights are visually accompanied by changes in facial expressions which can be an indication of employees' mental state. Non-verbal communication; "a picture says a 1,000 words".

Coaching has evolved into a much more sophisticated profession based on knowledge from many other disciplines. Now brain science research has potential for having the greatest impact on coaching individuals and leaders in organizations.