Articles

NLP?

Neurolinguistic Programming?

Chances are most of us have heard of it. Some of us might even have had an overview seminar about it at work. But what is it really and why should we care?

What on Earth is “NLP” Neuro-Linguistic Programming?

Although more people than ever have heard of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, most people we meet look at us blankly and end up asking “what is NLP?”

So, here goes!

Have you ever had the experience of a meeting that went particularly well, or a project that met every deadline and criteria? And yet there are times when it just doesn’t go as well?

NLP is like a switch you can flick, to make sure your successes become your new standard. It gives you an understanding of what made the difference in those situations and what the critical changes are, which would mean you can always perform to that level.

NLP-based training addresses the fundamentals of how we think, feel and behave; imagine the wide-reaching impact it can have on a person’s performance.

Where did NLP come from?

The jargon of the name “NLP” gives the wrong impression.

NLP stands for “Neuro-Linguistic Programming”. It’s about how the way we think influences our behaviour and hence performance.

NLP is actually a set of simple, yet highly effective, tools and techniques that help us work with our subconscious mind. It’s an outstanding personal development tool.

It has its roots in psychology and the study of excellence. It was born 30 years ago from the work of Richard Bandler (a mathematician) and John Grinder (a linguist), who studied some of the world’s greatest communicators.

Their research identified not only the elements that made the critical difference, but also how to teach these vital skills to others, to help them unlock their true potential.

NLP helps us identify the critical differences between people who excel and those who are just “getting by” in the way they communicate, influence, lead, motivate and succeed.

How does it work?

Don’t think of a pink elephant in a red tree.
What happened? You thought of an elephant in a tree? Even though the instruction was not to?

If you tell your brain not to do something, first you have to imagine actually doing it, which makes you more likely to get what you don’t want. This illustrates why we need to learn how to communicate with our subconscious mind – the bit that does all the “auto-pilot” stuff for us. Without this communication channel, we’re almost leaving success to chance.

NLP-based training can help you find out how you communicate with yourself and others – and how this affects your performance.

You will then discover how to change the things that aren’t working, whilst polishing the strategies that you want to keep.

When you know how to work with your subconscious mind, you can start to experience your true potential and break free of old thought patterns or habits that have been holding you back.

By learning how to manage our thoughts, emotions and actions, we can excel at whatever we do.