I’m intrigued – in fact, I’m actually obsessed – lately with the implications that neuroscience has on the practice of coaching, and more importantly, on the prospect of lasting growth and change for us as individuals. As you probably are reading about and hearing about, while scientists used to think that our brain was a “fait accompli” – that is, what we got is what we got – period – now scientific thinking has evolved to the awareness of neuroplasticity as a reality. This is the concept that now informs us that the brain does, in fact, change throughout our lives. Neuroplasticity is widely recognized as the brain’s capacity to create new neural pathways that are necessary to function properly as it adapts to everyday changes. So the brain is actually “plastic” – or adaptable – and changes in neural pathways actually result from changes in behavior, our environment, and new neural processes.
This is great news for those of us who may want to change some little (or big) aspect of our behaviors, thoughts, habits etc. that aren’t serving us so well. If you were one of those folks who contended that “well, this is just the way I am and I can’t change that” – then you’re about to get shown up by brain science in a big way. And this is where the good news gets so fantastic (I love a good, old fashioned happy ending!) – we can actually change our brains by thinking new or different thoughts and taking on new or different behaviors.

Imagine the neural pathways in my brain are like a road connecting Point A to Point B. When I identify a behavior that is overdone and getting in my way of success (demonstrating dominant and aggressive behavior in my staff meetings, or eating that pint of Ben and Jerry’s in front of the TV, for example), we often are tempted to focus on NOT doing that behavior. A good idea, perhaps in part – but not a lasting recipe for sustainable change. Instead of NOT doing the behavior and putting our focus on that, brain science tells us that the better strategy is to DO something different. Stop focusing on the old behavior altogether.

How does this work? Instead of jumping in and interrupting my direct reports in our staff meeting, I turn my attention to empathy and trying to see the problem from their viewpoint. I stop, reflect and listen. Or, to improve the likelihood of not succumbing to middle age waistline expansion, I get up and go for a short walk or call my sister instead of eating that pint of Heath Bar Crunch (darn it!). In both cases, by replacing the old behavior with a new one, I am actually creating new neural pathways – creating a narrow footpath off of the former “neural road” that existed. The more I do these new behaviors, the thicker and stronger are the neural pathways I am creating. I am actually, physically, no kidding, changing my brain, and making it more second nature, easier, to keep choosing these new behaviors over the old ones. You’ve heard the old adage “practice makes perfect, right? Well, I don’t know about perfect, but practicing anything does create stronger, thicker neural pathways from Point A to Point B until we don’t really even have to think about it anymore – we just do it that way. We’ve just changed our brain by changing our behavior, thereby creating more of what we want until we have formed a new, more productive habit or behavior pattern that serves us.

This is where coaching is such an effective – even life changing – tool in helping us to become our best selves. Coaching is not a feel good endeavor, but an effective, scientifically backed methodology for co-creating change with and for a client. Through effective coaching, we discover and are held accountable for putting into practice new behaviors that help us to get out of our own way and achieve our goals…becoming more of our best selves. Becoming more of the best leader we can be. By changing your brain you can really – no kidding – change your leadership. That’s pretty good news! Ok, I’d better go for that walk now…