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This is an excellent conversation on a very important subject. My question is...assuming all clients are looking to make "change" happen (the number #1 client goal when working with a Coach), what is the latest thinking in neuroscience regarding how humans best assimilate new ideas, and then actually incorporate new thinking and change. Much of the hypothese and reflections above are based on "experience" and ideas from practical application, all of which have absolute merit. But, based on the accepted methodology of Coaching (as differing from Consulting or Therapy), the advantage of Coaching's "ask open-ended questions," is that it facilitates very deep reflection and thinking within the cerebral cortex of the brain, which is responsible for higher thought processes. From what I have studied in neuroscience, our brains left hemisphere is the rational half associated with logical and analytical thinking, and the role of the posterior part is to evaluate sensory information, isolating the most important pieces, and then the frontal lobe draws conclusions from this data. The brain is further divided into four lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal. These areas receive, evaluate, and associate impulses as memories, complex thinking, and feelings that seem to be almost immediate because the brain cuts out unrelated information and adapts similar information to add to our conscious or unconscious decision making process.So the "science" of how wchange is e human's most effectively make change hapen is very relevant in this discussion. My experience as both a Coach and a Consultant, is that "new thinking" is more permanent and lasting based on the client digging deep in their thinking (the purpose of questioning), and stimulating multiple areas of the brain, especially the analytical and logic areas as described above, resulting in the abilityfor the client to move forward with a new clarity and understanding than that prior. In contrast, consulting (providing insight/wisdom), has still has its merits on occassion when dealing with a unique individual as a client who is able to easily rationalize and interpret new data, and make adjustments in their perspectives and new understandings. It would be the Coaches job to determine which path/methodology will move the client from where they are, to where they want to be - most effectively. Peter Ashworth, BrightCoach.

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