NLP - Neuro Linguistic Programing

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a set of techniques, axioms and beliefs that adherents use primarily as an approach to personal development. It is based on the idea that mind, body and language interact to create an individual's perception of the world and that perceptions, and hence behaviors, can be changed by the application of a variety of techniques. An important technique is "modeling" which involves the careful reproduction of the behaviors and beliefs of those who have achieved "excellence". The early focus of NLP was the study of the underlying patterns in the language and techniques of noted and successful therapists in hypnotherapy, gestalt therapy and family therapy. The patterns discovered were adapted for general communication and for effecting change.
Despite its popularity, NLP continues to be controversial, particularly for use in therapy, and after three decades of existence, remains scientifically unvalidated. NLP has been criticized for lacking a defining and regulating body to impose standards and a professional ethical code and for being pseudoscientific.

What is everybodies thoughts on NLP if you have any?

I haven't read anything yet about NLP that I thought would help me with selling.

Never heard of it until now -

Great condensed description of NLP Keith. Yes, it's an 'unproven' technique as far as the 'establishment' is concerned, but aren't there many drugs in widespread use in countries outside the U.S. that have been proven to help people, but these drugs are unavailable to U.S. citizens? There are many.

But the 'establishment' (the FDA) won't step on the toes of the huge drug manufacturers and allow these helpful drugs in this country. But that's another subject.

Don't discount any new 'tool' that may work for you just because the 'establishment' says it's 'unproven.' Learn as many new methods as you can to help you down the road of success, try them, use what works for you, and incorporate them into your daily life.

The 'establishment' didn't think much of Wallace Wattles work more than 100 years ago, or Napolean Hill's work more than 60 years ago, but their insights and theories accounted for many, many people becoming millionaires. And there ideas still hold true today, in 2007. Google their names if you want to see the value of their works.

Yes, NLP uses 'modeling' of successful people. Copying what other successful people have done doesn't sound like a waste of time to me...how about anyone else?

NLP

I’m a big fan as I’ve seen the way that NLP can change people and help people understand others.

I first came across it when I lived in South Africa (1993 – 1997) and was invited to attend a one day workshop by the big guns in my company. It was billed as some soft skill event or other. I didn’t want to go, but had to! It was fantastic. I asked what the basis of this stuff was and Mike (the tutor) said it was NLP – I was hooked and immediately signed up for a practitioners course – 16 days. I learnt how to apply the techniques in sales situations and specialised in communication. To the uninitiated, or those wishing to discredit, would say you use NLP to manipulate people, but rarely can you manipulate, rather influence with integrity. The safeguard to manipulation is that ‘behaviour follows intention’ and that if you are trying to manipulate, it will come out in your behaviour and the other person will more than likely pick up the signals and feel something is wrong.

After my course I sent all my sales people on a practitioners course and it made a huge difference to their performance. NLP is one of the reasons why I got in to training and helping develop people.

All of our training workshops follow NLP principles of communication. We also teach NLP principles of communication. For example, we prove in a workshop, that we can increase a person’s ability to hear just by running a simple exercise. Why is this important to sales? Well, behaviour follows intention – people will give away their intention in their behaviour, such as the language they use – what they say and how they say it. You need to be on full alert to hear the small changes in verbal communication. The mind and body are linked. Say something that has a meaning to you and your verbal pattern changes – bingo. Now, you don’t make an assumption about what the change means, you just explore it with the other person. For example, in a sales situation where you are exploring the other person’s needs they will invariably not tell you everything – listen to the changes in voice patterns around the topics, ask the question around a subject that they mentioned only briefly, but it had significance to them because of the change in voice pattern, and you will find you open up a whole new and important discussion. This is only a very small aspect of how we use NLP in training.

When I coach and come across a sales rep who for whatever reason is not performing I will often recommend they attend an NLP course. The reason for non performance is often something to do with personal issues. After the NLP course they come back a changed person and start hitting their numbers again. Comments from the boss are always along the lines… “wow, what have you done to him!”

I even sent my eldest daughter (she was 20) on an NLP course. Without obviously going in to the detail…she had for years been at war with one of her siblings. She had terrible trouble at college, flunked her exams and suffered a nervous breakdown. She spent 6 months in her room never going out, only reading and no interest in life. NLP changed all that. She is good friends with her sibling, is back at college and doing extremely well, has a great social life and is enjoying her life. She will attest that it is NLP that made her look at things differently, provided her with the skills to build relationships where there was once only extreme trouble, and allowed her to see herself differently. The result, one very happy daughter.

I have many, many other examples where NLP has had major positive impact. So, does it help… yea… I think it does!

My understanding is that NLP is about "Modeling Excellence". Other than the examples already provided can someone list the different NLP skills that apply to personal selling?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus

I haven't read anything yet about NLP that I thought would help me with selling.

Thanks for your feedback Marcus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geekust

Never heard of it until now -

He he - Cheers Helen,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dougd55

Great condensed description of NLP Keith. Yes, it's an 'unproven' technique as far as the 'establishment' is concerned, but aren't there many drugs in widespread use in countries outside the U.S. that have been proven to help people, but these drugs are unavailable to U.S. citizens? There are many.

But the 'establishment' (the FDA) won't step on the toes of the huge drug manufacturers and allow these helpful drugs in this country. But that's another subject.

Don't discount any new 'tool' that may work for you just because the 'establishment' says it's 'unproven.' Learn as many new methods as you can to help you down the road of success, try them, use what works for you, and incorporate them into your daily life.

The 'establishment' didn't think much of Wallace Wattles work more than 100 years ago, or Napolean Hill's work more than 60 years ago, but their insights and theories accounted for many, many people becoming millionaires. And there ideas still hold true today, in 2007. Google their names if you want to see the value of their works.

Yes, NLP uses 'modeling' of successful people. Copying what other successful people have done doesn't sound like a waste of time to me...how about anyone else?

Coach Doug,
Thanks so much for your input - This is what I was looking for.

Thank you again

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firstborder

NLP

I’m a big fan as I’ve seen the way that NLP can change people and help people understand others.

I first came across it when I lived in South Africa (1993 – 1997) and was invited to attend a one day workshop by the big guns in my company. It was billed as some soft skill event or other. I didn’t want to go, but had to! It was fantastic. I asked what the basis of this stuff was and Mike (the tutor) said it was NLP – I was hooked and immediately signed up for a practitioners course – 16 days. I learnt how to apply the techniques in sales situations and specialised in communication. To the uninitiated, or those wishing to discredit, would say you use NLP to manipulate people, but rarely can you manipulate, rather influence with integrity. The safeguard to manipulation is that ‘behaviour follows intention’ and that if you are trying to manipulate, it will come out in your behaviour and the other person will more than likely pick up the signals and feel something is wrong.

After my course I sent all my sales people on a practitioners course and it made a huge difference to their performance. NLP is one of the reasons why I got in to training and helping develop people.

All of our training workshops follow NLP principles of communication. We also teach NLP principles of communication. For example, we prove in a workshop, that we can increase a person’s ability to hear just by running a simple exercise. Why is this important to sales? Well, behaviour follows intention – people will give away their intention in their behaviour, such as the language they use – what they say and how they say it. You need to be on full alert to hear the small changes in verbal communication. The mind and body are linked. Say something that has a meaning to you and your verbal pattern changes – bingo. Now, you don’t make an assumption about what the change means, you just explore it with the other person. For example, in a sales situation where you are exploring the other person’s needs they will invariably not tell you everything – listen to the changes in voice patterns around the topics, ask the question around a subject that they mentioned only briefly, but it had significance to them because of the change in voice pattern, and you will find you open up a whole new and important discussion. This is only a very small aspect of how we use NLP in training.

When I coach and come across a sales rep who for whatever reason is not performing I will often recommend they attend an NLP course. The reason for non performance is often something to do with personal issues. After the NLP course they come back a changed person and start hitting their numbers again. Comments from the boss are always along the lines… “wow, what have you done to him!”

I even sent my eldest daughter (she was 20) on an NLP course. Without obviously going in to the detail…she had for years been at war with one of her siblings. She had terrible trouble at college, flunked her exams and suffered a nervous breakdown. She spent 6 months in her room never going out, only reading and no interest in life. NLP changed all that. She is good friends with her sibling, is back at college and doing extremely well, has a great social life and is enjoying her life. She will attest that it is NLP that made her look at things differently, provided her with the skills to build relationships where there was once only extreme trouble, and allowed her to see herself differently. The result, one very happy daughter.

I have many, many other examples where NLP has had major positive impact. So, does it help… yea… I think it does!

Thanks alot for your comments and your experience with it Firstborder. As always very much appreciated.

NLP - Neuro Linguistic Programing

Self Improvement - Personal Development Forum