An Introduction
Neuro linguistic programming is a new area of
study
and basically deals with the way in which we
live our lives, the way we behave and the way we
communicate. These patterns include what we
think, what we do and our mental make-up. NLP
also relates to our emotions and our senses. As
such NLP encompasses a huge area and has its
applications in a variety of fields.
Simply put, we can see NLP as a method towards
personal development where it is used as a tool
for performance improvement. NLP also gives us a
better model for effective communication both
with self and others. NLP uses ‘modelling’ or
creating models for human
behavior.
The approach has been very powerful and
successful. The
behavior
of highly effective performers is studied after
which the results are converted into easy to use
techniques. These techniques are used in
workshops to help people learn in a short while,
what might take years otherwise.
One of the biggest reasons why people are
interested in NLP is because it gives the
individual the ability to bring about the kind
of transformation they want in their lives. NLP
provides an insight into others’ way of thinking
and
behavior,
based on which you can develop the techniques
you need to make a positive change. You get the
skills to run your life effectively by using
your mind, body and emotions actively.
The knowledge body of NLP grows continuously,
constantly coming up with techniques to improve
the way we think, behave and feel. Developing
NLP skills gives you the ability to
-
Be better at what you do
-
Develop the necessary skills and attitudes
to do things you want to do
-
Develop clarity of thought
-
Communicate better
-
Be more effective at managing your thoughts,
moods and behaviors
The main focus of NLP is to study and understand
the factors that lead to success and failure in
any given situation.
Understanding What NLP Is
In
neuro
linguistic programming, ‘neuro’
relates to the brain and its network of nerve
cells. These nerve cells perform the function of
sending, receiving and storing signals that
translate into information for the brain.
‘Linguistic’ relates to the use of language.
Thus, neuro-linguistics is about how the nervous
system and language influence each other.
Programming means carrying out a planned
sequence of actions to achieve an expected
result. We can therefore define Neuro-linguistic
programming as the use of language in a planned
manner to get a pre-planned result.
We
tend to react to various things based on our
past experiences and feelings. Thus two people
could see the same thing; yet react totally
differently to it. It depends on what kind of
experience they have had in the past about this.
When they process information about what they
see mentally, the factors that play a role are
experiences both good and bad, their opinions
and value systems, etc. As a result, the
interpretation of what they see can be totally
different.
NLP
therefore seeks to find what makes top
performers tick. Based on this, models are made
and methods are worked out through which the
same results can be achieved with average
performers. So, if you wanted to, for example,
find out someone’s proficiency in mental
mathematics, you would need to find out how he
or she does it using effective communication so
that you do not lead them. Thus, effective
communication skills are an essential element of
NLP.
The Ingredients of NLP
-
Rather than going into too much technical
detail, we can summarize by saying that NLP
is made up of the following ‘ingredients’:
-
A set of beliefs that guides you on
communicating with people
-
A clear-cut model for questioning and
listening skills
-
An approach to influencing skills, language
and metaphor usage that draws from the area
of clinical hypnosis
-
An effective group of exercises that assist
in
behavior
change in people
-
Powerful techniques for rapport building
NLP
is mainly to do with how people do things and
not the rationale behind what they do. So if
someone finds it difficult to play an
instrument, NLP will identify the limiting
factors that are preventing the person from
playing the instrument, rather than why the
person is not learning. Once these limiting
factors are known the next step is to get rid of
them so that learning results.
The History of NLP
NLP had its birth in the 1970s when Richard
Bandler, a psychology student and John Grinder,
a linguist together came up with the approach.
The two of them observed that people with
similar education, background, training and
experience varied in their performance. This led
them to research what differentiated the
effective, successful people from their mediocre
counterparts. The idea was to make a model out
of their findings so that it could be duplicated
in those who were mediocre to achieve success.
They studied the
behavior and communication
characteristics of these effective people. This
helped them create a pattern of thinking that
contributed to the individual’s success. The
assumption was, that the brain is capable of
learning patterns of behavior
to produce positive physical and emotional
results. This came to be known as Neuro
Linguistic programming.
Bandler and Grinder explored
different techniques and skills and with a
group, began to develop different approaches and
models, in their quest to figure out what worked
and what did not. From these, one model, called
the Meta Model, which turned out to be a very
powerful tool in problem-solving. Around 1974,
the first ever NLP book called ‘The Structure of
Magic’ was published.
Subsequently, Bandler and
Grinder modelled world famous hypnotherapist,
Milton Erickson and the way he used metaphors
and stories to assist people in ridding
themselves of phobias etc. the Milton Model was
thus born emphasizing on the role language plays
in influencing people. Workshops were run,
resulting in an NLP book for the layperson
called Frogs into Princes, which explained what
NLP was all about and how it could be used
effectively. Gradually, NLP evolved to become
even more specialized and today, it has its
applications in sales, training, management,
coaching, therapy and almost every area where
effective communication plays a role.
How NLP Works
The
basis for NLP is that we reveal the way we
subconsciously see our problems through the
words we use. A skilled neuro linguistic
practitioner is capable of
analyzing
each word or phrase used to describe the state
of the person’s health. Facial expressions and
body movements are also examined. Once problems
in the individual’s perception are identified,
the practitioner’s next step is to help
understand the root cause. Following this,
thoughts and mental associations are remodelled
to deal with preconceived notions that might be
the obstacles to the person’s success. Finally,
NLP will help rid the person of these negative
traits and replace them with positive thoughts
and patterns, which in turn, will help achieve
positive results.
NLP presupposes several things. The emphasis is
on concept that should work rather than concepts
likely to work. So if you are trying something
and it doesn’t work, then obviously you should
try something that does. Since people are
different from one another it is important to be
flexible. The focus of NLP is results.
NLP is powerful. Most of the
techniques work best when tried with faith and
with the right attitude. For example, if you
said ‘I will be better’ is a sad tone of voice
and a physical stance to match, obviously the
progress is going to be slow, since the faith is
missing. Instead, if you had a mental image of
what you intend to become, associated a similar
time when you did get better and go on to say it
with belief, then you are likely to put in the
right effort and reach your goal.
How NLP Can Make A Difference In Our Life
To have NLP work for us, we must understand our
personal map of reality and make the change in
order to get what we want. NLP gives you maps
used by successful people, and by adopting the
same thing, you too can achieve what you want to
achieve by emulating a similar thought and
behavior pattern.
Thus, NLP can play a vital role in improving our
relationships, whether personal, intimate or
professional. We get the tools we need in order
to build the connection with ourselves, as well
as with others. The interesting thing is that we
have probably used similar techniques without
being aware that it is NLP. So NLP is a toolbox
with a variety of tools that can help with
various situations to make them better. Here are
a few situations to illustrate how NLP makes a
difference for the better.
Sales
If you are involved in sales, you will know that
rapport building is a vital skill where you put
the other person totally at ease so that you can
get along with them and thereafter be successful
in what you set out to do. Those who cannot
build rapport cannot sell. To probe and
understand what the prospective customers wants,
the sales person can use the effective NLP “Meta
Model’ of questioning. Sales people need to be
motivated and NLP provides the tools that help
in self-motivation as well as motivating others
thereby taking the person’s levels of energy to
a lasting higher plane.
Management
People
management calls for a variety of skills. NLP
helps managers understand what motivates others,
so that they can manage them better, encouraging
them to give optimum performance. Management
involves change management where employees must
be eased into change and made to realize that it
will benefit them. NLP tools enable effective
change management.
Customer Services
Customer support personnel have the job of
finding out what the customer wants and then
making sure that these needs are met. If the
manager sees the customer as a nuisance, this
attitude filters through to the rest of the team
and spoils the company’s reputation. NLP is very
effective in training customer staff to be more
customer-orientated. Customer service personnel
can be coached to develop rapport building and
probing skills that can be used positively.
Sports
Sportsmen need to be highly motivated so that
they can always show their best performance.
While most athletes do show outstanding
performance, they must be able to do this
whenever they want to. With NLP a model of
excellence can be repeated over and over. Since
athletes must be motivated and develop the
determination to focus on their goals, NLP can
give coaches a tool to ensure that the athletes
make the best use of their inner resources to
give the best performance at all times.
Training
Training does not stop with teaching someone how
to do something. It goes far beyond this where
the trainer not only helps the learner through
the process of learning, but also does it in a
way that has the maximum effect.
Personal Development
NLP has the
tools to improve confidence, make you more
creative and imaginative so that you can produce
more ideas. With the help of NLP you can
increase your confidence by recognizing what
stops you from reaching your set goals. If they
are limiting beliefs, then NLP helps get over
these. NLP improves memory skills and helps
build a strong base of positive beliefs and
methods that work, with the help of these memory
techniques.
Neuro
linguistic programming is thus a minute study of
our subjective experiences. Since it is
subjectivity that determines our individuality,
even if we go through experiences similar to
others’, it is the way we perceive these
experiences that differentiates us from others.
Several workshops are run by organizations with
experienced NLP therapists and practitioners
with the aim to help people cultivate the kind
of perception they want, to build the skills
they want and to achieve the performance they
want. Used in the right manner, NLP is a
powerful approach that can make a major
difference in our lives and in the way we
communicate.
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develop your life and skills. It is based on
an attitude of curiosity, experimentation,
and duplicating other peoples successful
behavior. 
