Studies in neuroscience shed light on this phenomenon—it's all in the way we think. Simply put for this article, we have two working functions in our brain; 'hardwire' which connects existing patterns, and 'working memory' which analyzes new data.



It's much easier for us to stick with what we know, with what is deeply impressed in our brain as we move through our everyday life. The light is red, so I stop. I don't have to think about it, and am not motivated to act in any other manner. Life is easy, and yet, we are stagnant.

The 'working memory' is moves much more slowly and consumes great energy, kind of like cutting through ice versus skating on top of it.

When a new connection is made through 'working memory' however, it is extremely energizing. Think of how great it feels to complete a challenging Sudoku, or finally come up with a new plan of action after pondering it for weeks.

David Rock explores these two functions of the brain with respect to the role of coaching in his new book, Quiet Leadership. Rock looks at what he terms the four faces of insight to take us from our complacency into vibrancy and acticity. Let's go through an exercise. Let's look at a relationship that is not healthy with a co-worker for our example.

Awareness. We are aware of this unproductive relationship, yet stay with what is familiar (hardwired) and do nothing to solve it. We go over the same scenarios again and again in our mind with no resolve. Enter our coach who challenges our working memory to move beyond status quo and into the brave new world of options and novel solutions.

Reflection. In reflecting on various approaches, we stretch our 'working memory' and the energy begins to flow. As a coach, I often hear clients say 'I tried that once and it didn't work.' This 'hardwire' thinking is limiting. Perhaps they tried to talk to the colleague at work. Frequently, when my clients are in 'reflecting' mode, they might simultaneously be approaching their associate for golfing or for dinner.

Illumination. Ah-ha! The options unveiled in the reflection phase has illuminated a possible new approach. 'That's it; I am definitely going to approach him at dinner!" This is where the energy rushes in. According to Rock: "Even small illuminations pack an energetic punch. The rush is being driven by a new set of connections in our brain. Having an insight is one of life's most pleasant moments."

Motivation. Now that we have created a new approach, we can barely wait to give it a try. We make the call, set the plan in action. "When people are in the motivation phase, their eyes are racing ahead, ready to take action."

Coaching works due to its very nature of constantly stretching clients to think beyond what is hardwired into their brain, and thus, produce different results. If you find this concept intriguing, I challenge you to test yourself over the coming weeks to see where your thinking rests. Do you settle for hardwire status quo or are you continually seeking out new approaches to solving old dilemmas?