what is nlp?
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In the early 1970s John Grinder and Richard Bandler, based at the University of California, leveraged a diverse range of fields (including General Semantics, Transformational Grammar, Ericksonian Hypnosis, Systems Theory and several others) to create a powerful synthesis they called Neuro Linguistic Programming; or NLP for short.
Using the results of their research they went on to experiment with Behavioral Modelling and developed new understandings about human communication, learning and behavioral competence. And it was from this work that NLP grew to offer a set of models, skills and techniques for thinking and inter-acting effectively in the world such that individuals can change, adopt or eliminate behaviors in both themselves and others. The magazine Science Digest reported: “NLP could be the most important synthesis of knowledge about human communication to emerge since the explosion of humanistic psychology … it may be the ultimate behavioral engineering tool.” |
Since the groundbreaking work of Grinder and Bandler other researchers have taken the subject to new levels and have, in particular, developed a scientific understanding of the neurological interactions that NLP enables such that an individual can quickly internalize new thinking, beliefs and behaviors that facilitate greater personal achievement.
And as a foundation to achieving greater success in personal and professional life NLP has yet to be superseded and is extensively used (although often not labelled as NLP) to improve performance of athletes, companies, sales teams, education and training businesses, government agencies and more. |
what does nlp do for you?
NLP changes the way of thinking and, as a result, gives birth to a structure of thoughts, behaviour and communication that allows you to consistently achieve your desired results in life and work. Some more specific outcomes of NLP are as follows:
- Accelerates learning and focus on your particular interests
- Helps you set compelling goals that motivate you
- Creates trusted relationships with others that support you
- Delivers a new level of awareness that changes the way of perceiving the world and its people
- Turns you into amore flexible person who can manage a wider range of challenges
- Increases your ability to create agreements and settle differences
- Manages your thinking to give greater control over emotions
- Connects to the inner naturalness of your unconscious feelings and intuitions
what are the downsides?
There are three things to consider:
1. Mis-using the power of NLP
Some people view the power of NLP to be manipulative and if used for unacceptable outcomes I agree it certainly can be.
On the positive side I have helped many people working in sales and customer service roles to NLP type questioning in order to better identify customer needs and to propose solutions accordingly. I consider this to be positive and ethical use of NLP in business.
However I refused to provide the same training to a global company who asked for it because their product is cigarettes ... and in my world it is not morally acceptable to make their sales people more productive and grow the market for health damaging tobacco products.
2. Being true to yourself
I have had some people say that they are not being true to who they really are by adopting an NLP approach to life and they find that it is not really them and they are not sure they want to do it.
And this is completely normal when developing or maturing into a new phase of life. For example people who learn a second language are not being true to their roots but instead are growing to understand other people and cultures that living in one language cannot offer. Learning a second language makes someone into a new and greater person than they were before with a range of new possibilities in life and work. NLP is the same.
3. NLP does not work for me
There are people who learn NLP and see none of the promised improvements occurring in their lives and as a result say that NLP is interesting but not really worth believing in.
And here lies the problem ... in their beliefs. Indeed I had one client that stopped learning NLP because it began to challenge his thinking around his religious beliefs and he wanted to hold on to these beliefs at all cost.
It is easy to understand and learn NLP and this means you can show your certificate with pride and talk knowledgeably about the subject. Those who improve their lives with NLP do so because they have internalised it and adopted it into their personal and unconscious way of being.
1. Mis-using the power of NLP
Some people view the power of NLP to be manipulative and if used for unacceptable outcomes I agree it certainly can be.
On the positive side I have helped many people working in sales and customer service roles to NLP type questioning in order to better identify customer needs and to propose solutions accordingly. I consider this to be positive and ethical use of NLP in business.
However I refused to provide the same training to a global company who asked for it because their product is cigarettes ... and in my world it is not morally acceptable to make their sales people more productive and grow the market for health damaging tobacco products.
2. Being true to yourself
I have had some people say that they are not being true to who they really are by adopting an NLP approach to life and they find that it is not really them and they are not sure they want to do it.
And this is completely normal when developing or maturing into a new phase of life. For example people who learn a second language are not being true to their roots but instead are growing to understand other people and cultures that living in one language cannot offer. Learning a second language makes someone into a new and greater person than they were before with a range of new possibilities in life and work. NLP is the same.
3. NLP does not work for me
There are people who learn NLP and see none of the promised improvements occurring in their lives and as a result say that NLP is interesting but not really worth believing in.
And here lies the problem ... in their beliefs. Indeed I had one client that stopped learning NLP because it began to challenge his thinking around his religious beliefs and he wanted to hold on to these beliefs at all cost.
It is easy to understand and learn NLP and this means you can show your certificate with pride and talk knowledgeably about the subject. Those who improve their lives with NLP do so because they have internalised it and adopted it into their personal and unconscious way of being.