About NLP
What is NLP?
NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming. It was developed
by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the 1970s. They developed models that
help us understand how people represent reality to themselves and further,
how understanding can be used in ethical ways to conduct change work and enrich
peoples' maps of the world. NLP also offers a range of techniques, which can
enable great insights into the way in which we think, feel and behave.
Essentially NLP is about how language affects behaviour.
Why are people using NLP?
Managers, teaches, trainers, therapists, consultants and coaches
have become increasingly aware that competence has a task and relationship
side. The relationship side is about human relations, understanding how somebody
is and from what inner connections his or her behaviour is based on. And then
the task is about results understanding how can we help people to be more
effective and create more choice for themselves. The powerful proposition
of NLP is that it synthesises these two aspects.
The study and application of NLP can help people to:
- suspend judgement, seek first to understand
and then be understood
- respect others and to see life from
other points of view
- examine the effectiveness of what they
are doing and to understand the value for all stakeholders involved
- change in a congruent way
- get more of the results they want in
their lives
- see more, hear more and feel more!
Applications for NLP
NLP has been used in many facets of life. It has been used
in coaching, therapy, training, teaching, sport, caring professions, law and
even parenting. As we are all professional communicators NLP can be used in
almost all walks of life.
Pre-suppositions of NLP
- Respect another person's model of the
world
- The meaning of communication is the
response you get
- The mind and the body affect each other
- The words we use are NOT the event
or the item they represent (the map is not the territory).
- The most important information about
a person is that person's behaviour.
- All behaviour has a positive intention.
- Behaviour is geared for adaptation,
and present behaviour is the best choice available.
- A person's behaviour is not who they
are (accept the person, change the behaviour).
- People have all the abilities they
need to succeed.(there are no unresourceful people, only UNRESOURCEFUL states).
- You are in charge of your mind, and
therefore your results.
- The system (person) with the most flexibility
of behaviour will control the system.
- There is no failure, only feedback.
- Resistance in a client is a sign of
a lack of rapport (this can be said for relationships).
- There are no resistant clients, only
inflexible communicators.
- All procedures should increase choice.
- Behaviour and change is to be evaluated
in terms of context, and ecology.
- All procedures should increase wholeness.
- All meaning is context dependent.
- If it ain't broke don't fix it!
- All people are magnificent.
Recommended reading
Magic of NLP Demystified - Byron Lewis and Frank Pucelik (ISBN
1 55552 017 0)
The NLP Coach - Ian McDermott and Wendy Jago (ISBN 7499 2186
2 hbk)
The structure of Magic - I and II - Grinder and Bandler (ISBN
08314 - 0044 - 7 and ISBN 08314-0049-8)
NLP at Work - Sue Knight (ISBN 1-85788-302-0)
