Neuroscience research pioneers new methods in business support
Technology more commonly used for lie detector tests and diagnosing brain disorders is helping to pioneer new methods of business support in Cornwall.
Oxford Innovation, which in addition to the ERDF funded High Growth programme in Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly, delivers high growth business support programmes throughout the UK, Wales, Saudi and Africa, is using cutting-edge neuroscience to investigate pioneering ways of enhancing the delivery of its mentoring and coaching services to businesses.
The Truro-based company commissioned research into the relative merits of delivering business coaching remotely, compared to more traditional face-to-face methods.
This involved connecting Oxford Innovation clients and coaches to electrodes to measure electrical activity inside the brain and on the surface of their skin during real coaching sessions. One session was delivered face-to-face, and the other using Skype, and the results compared.
The technology used to measure the conscious and unconscious responses of clients and coaches is more normally associated with diagnosing epilepsy and in polygraph - or lie detector - tests.
Andrew Finley, commercial director at Oxford Innovation, said: "Our team of business coaches works hand in hand with businesses to help them grow and the perception has always been that this support is best delivered face-to-face.
"But given the rural nature of a place like Cornwall, rising travel costs for businesses and pressures on their time, we wanted to test that assumption and investigate whether telecoaching could be an alternative.
"That meant using cutting-edge neuroscience techniques where we wired up our volunteer coaches and clients and measured things like empathy, attention, motivation and mental effort during real coaching sessions."
Andrew said the results were surprising: "What we found is that there was actually very little difference in outcome between face-to-face coaching and telecoaching, and that in certain situations, telecoaching actually led to a better response from the client.
"In some cases telecoaching elicited higher levels of attention and motivation, suggesting a deeper and more effective engagement, but clients generally felt more empathy with their coach during the face-to-face session. What is clear is that, to be effective, the two disciplines require different methods of delivery, language and techniques.
"Being totally committed to the highest levels of professional training and the constant development of our team, we are using the research to look at how this can inform our training to ensure that we can make all our coaching sessions - whether face-to-face or delivered remotely - an even better experience for our clients."
One business that is using telecoaching with Oxford Innovation is The Day That in Hayle in West Cornwall. Launched by photographer Gavan Goulder, the business has been taking a dawn photograph every day since the summer of 2005 and now sells them across the UK as unique gifts to mark a special day in people's lives.
For the last two years Gavan and his team have been part of Oxford Innovation's high growth programme with the support of coach Richard Hall.
Gavan said: "The coaching support has been superb and although I personally prefer face-to-face there are times when that's just not practical, especially if there's an urgent issue. Having Richard on the end of a Skype call is better than doing it over the telephone because you have more interaction, and it gives both of us flexibility when it's difficult to meet in person."
Coach Richard added: "From my experience telecoaching can bring more focus on the agreed actions of the coaching session because the client's full attention tends to be on the screen. But the real value of the research is in making sure that our clients have a consistent and first class coaching experience, how ever it is delivered."
Oxford Innovation is now looking at how telecoaching might open up more opportunities for coaches with physical impairments or mobility issues, and is employing techniques used in the television industry - including lighting and backdrops - to enhance the telecoaching experience for clients.
Oxford Innovation is funded by the ERDF Convergence programme and offers up to 30 days of fully funded intensive coaching and assistance to help business in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly realise their growth potential. For more information visit www.growcornwall.co.uk
