This week’s TED Talk clip is from an independent TEDx event:
How Meditation Can Reshape Our Brains: Sara Lazar at TEDxCambridge 2011
Clip length: 8 mins 33 secs
Prefer to watch via YouTube? In that case you’ll need to click here.
In this weeks guest post Amy Brann shares some of her expertise on the subject of Neuroscience and coaching
From the perspective of Coaches, neuroscience is the field that can inform them of important things about the brain. Things that are key to new ways that you work with clients and also things that underpin things you are already familiar with. Neuroscience can explain why and how Coaching works. It can enlighten Coaches as to things to pay particular attention to. It can warn against other practices.
We believe an understanding of neuroscience will become expected to underpin everything that sits on top of it. Neuroscience is not claiming to be better than anything a Coach currently does or to replace it. Rather we suggest it will enhance your understanding of those you work with.
What can neuroscience offer the Coaching World?
How does neuroscience relate to other disciplines?
We can think of neuroscience as a friend to other disciplines, such as psychology. Often in academic circles there is cross over and collaboration. In my team we have neuroscientists, psychologists, behaviour analysts and several other experts. In the spirit of full disclosure I’ll share that sometimes we generate a little heat between the neuroscientists and the behaviour guys. Ultimately though we all realise that we can each learn from one another and stimulate deeper research and insights.
When can I use neuroscience with a client?
There are a huge number of opportunities within a normal Coaching engagement to use neuroscience to guide us. Here are just a few, many of which take on new depth and significance when you understand the neuroscience (remembering some words have slightly different psychological or neuroscientific meaning to in normal Coaching usage, e.g. reward):
| Coaching Opportunity | Example of Areas / studies in Neuroscience | Example of applications |
| Connecting with client | Trust and fairness and oxytocin | Actively finding ways to build trust with your client and demonstrate your fairness |
| Goal setting | Decision making, visualisation, willpower | Citing a visualisation study to help a client see the potential value |
| Examining their environment | Nudging and priming | Explore your client’s normal environment and where they are when they need to do behaviours leading to goal attainment |
| Behavioural evaluation | Hot & Cold network | Your client’s behaviour is key to their results and is influenced by many factors. |
| Rewards | Dopamine | Helping your client understand what is currently activating their reward circuitry can be empowering and important in making changes |
| Habits analysis | Hebbs Law, Basal Ganglia | Being clear on how new habits are formed |
From the perspective of the Coach it makes sense to immerse oneself in all areas of study that can help us understand better how people’s minds and brains work.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, I invite you to visit Amy’s website, and become a member of her free and insightful Neuroscience for Coaches community, so that you can further experience the impact of applying neuroscience insights on your life and career! Understanding how the brain works gives you a competitive advantage over Coaches who do not. As a welcome gift, you will receive a special complimentary resources bundles that includes the 1st chapter of ‘Neuroscience for Coaches’, your Neuroscience for Coaches checklist, and your Neuroscience for Coaches Insights ebook.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Amy_Brann
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybrann
I know that many readers are curious about new developments and increasing your own coaching knowledge to benefit your clients and coaching business.
Today I wanted to share some information that includes special time limited bonuses that I suspect will appeal to professional personal and executive Coaches along with managers who have coaching roles.
Over the past couple of decades advancements in technology has allowed an increased understanding about how the human brain physically works. Neuroscience research can now often be found reported in the general media rather than just specialist medical journals.
There is now the knowledge to apply Neuroscience concepts to real coaching situations such as goals, expectations, fairness, optimism, and willpower.
There is an upcoming Applied Neuroscience For Coaches programme especially for coaches to discover the latest insights into how your, and your clients, brain works. Understanding such concepts enables you to effectively help, support, challenge, and guide, so that you rise to the top of your coaching game. Understanding how the brain works gives our programme attendees a competitive advantage over Coaches who do not.
The program is currently offering a set of complimentary resources, These resources goes into greater depth about:
These are all delivered electronically so you can have immediate access and includes the first chapter of the book “Neuroscience for Coaches” by Amy Brann.
If you are curious about the latest developments in Neuroscience and how you could use this knowledge visit this page to claim your complimentary resources.
“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”
(Dalai Lama)
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
(Dr. Seuss)