Neuro-assessment of leadership training

ABSTRACT The rapid growth of coaching practices has outpaced the current best-practice empirical research and created a difficult landscape to navigate for coaches and consumers alike. To overcome these challenges the present study proposed to employ the neuro-screening measure to develop and monitor an individually tailored coaching intervention for training senior-managers’ inspirational leadership. We have used the quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) screening to build the individual profiles of every coachee to assess their baseline (trait) characteristics in order to develop the coaching interventions to enhance effective and minimise ineffective behaviour. The qEEG-screening profile resulted in nine metrics characterising different traits and features of every coachee. Based on these profiles individualised 4-month coaching programmes were suggested to coachees. The results indicated that participation in the individually designed 4-month coaching programme was associated with significant improvement (70.7%) or optimisation (55.6%) of metrics in the 71.7% of coachees. This was paralleled by reduced scores in independent Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory scales. We concluded that the employment of qEEG-screening profiling allows coaches and trainers to assess deep dynamic neurological mechanisms that underpin baseline traits and features essential for effective, flexible and sustainable leadership, as well as track their development over time.