Coaching effectiveness can be enhanced by an understanding of how our brains work, said Catherine Hambley, president of the Society of Consulting Psychology, division 13 of the American Psychological Association.
She highlighted four key “brain principles” to bear in mind: the brain’s orientation towards safety, our tendency to be on autopilot more than we realise, negativity bias and neuroplasticity.
We have five more times threat circuits in the brain than reward circuits, she said, “which becomes very relevant when we’re working with people”.
“The limbic system is typically where we experience threat and stress. The more active the limbic system, the more the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) is compromised, and the more we have a tendency to respond before we think.
The main functions of the PFC include executive functions (planning, organising, analysing), effective decision making, problem solving, learning, collaboration and memory. Strategies such as mindfulness training can help clients self-regulate so their PFC can come back on board. She said the negativity bias is the ‘brain principle’ that shows up the most, affecting how we see ourselves and others.
When we experience a threat state, cortisol is released which stays for a few hours, compared to rewards-based dopamine, which only stays for two to five minutes, she said.
Strategies to reduce the negativity bias in coaching include focusing more on what went well than what didn’t, being generous with sharing successes, helping clients understand their limbic system, and encouraging leaders to monitor behaviour. “I ask leaders, when you leave the room, do you leave an aftermath, an aftertaste, or an afterglow?”