80:20 Performance Solutions Ltd

NeuroLinguistic Programming

Neuro: concerning the mind and how we think.

Linguistic: our use of language and how that affects our experience

Programming: our behaviours and responses to the world around us

NLP began as the study of excellence and is concerned with establishing the 'Difference that makes the Difference' in the behaviours and actions of people who are exceptional at what they do. NLP makes available simple strategies and applications so that anyone can replicate the skills of these outstanding achievers.

The effectiveness of NLP Application is governed by the principle of Process not Content. In order to apply NLP effectively it is not necessary to be able to understand, theorise about and label the cause, simply to be able to define what you want and be able to consistently demonstrate enough behavioural flexibility in choosing and applying processes to achieve the outcome.

NLP offers numerous patterns and Models that can be learned and applied in diverse contexts. These patterns and models are freely available to anyone who has mastered the fundamental Foundation Skills of NLP Application.

The Application of NLP will achieve desired results with astonishing rapidity. Contrary to the popular notion that change takes time and lots of hard work, NLP advocates that change can be very fast provided a desired outcome is first established.

NLP was first conceived over thiry years ago, since then it has diffused into many fields of human endeavour including: therapeutic work and self help; business communications and applications; sales and marketing; sports performance coaching; television entertainment and the world of politics to mention a few.

 "The focus of NLP is the modelling of that extreme of human behaviour, excellence. NLP is a modelling technology whose specific subject matter is the set of differences that make the difference between the performance of geniuses and that of average performers in the same field or activity. In this sense the objective of modelling studies in NLP is to explicate in a transferable and learnable code these sets of differences. The core activity then is the mapping of Tacit Knowledge onto an explicit model."

John Grinder 2004 (Co-Creator of the field of NLP) 

The diverse contexts in which NLP can now be recognised is a testament to the power of NLP Application. It also means that people in different fields apply NLP in different ways and attribute their own different meaning to what NLP actually is.

In any event NLP began in the 1970's when John Grinder, a Professor of Linguistics and Richard Bandler, a bright undergraduate student undertook a joint endeavour to model and codify the excpetional talents of three leading therapists of that era. The results of those initial projects grew into what we recognise as NLP today. A field that is concerned with identifying outstanding individuals, modelling their method and making it available as a learnable skill.

Distinguishing Between the Activities of NLP 

In their book 'Whispering in the Wind' John Grinder and Carmen Bostic St Clair make clear distinctions about NLP activities as follows:

NLP Modelling: the core activity that defines NLP, the modelling and subsequent coding of excellence. NLP Modelling is differentiated from other forms of modelling in that there is no attempt, by the Modeller, during the uptake stage to consciously interpret or understand the behaviour of interest. This step ensures the integrity of that which is modelled as it passes from the Model of Excellence to the Modeller. Any attempt made by the Modeller to understand or interpret either prior to or during uptake will activate a filtering process in the modeller effecting an undesirable diminution in uptake.

For NLP Modelling to be feasible it is therefore essential that the Modeller have full access to the Model of Excellence. Other forms of modelling may generate faster results and certianly a quicker sense of understanding. It is the belief of John Grinder and other advocates of NLP Modelling however, that, within the contexts in which it is appropriate, NLP Modelling will yield results far richer in depth and scope.

NLP Training: in essence this practice is, as it's final step - the transfer of skill, fundamental to the process of NLP modelling. As such Training has been ongoing in NLP since the endeavour began. Today however Pure NLP Training exists in it's own right. Pure NLP Trainings generally take the form of a recognised course, leading to a qualification such as the following:

NLP Practitioner 

NLP Master Practitioner

NLP Trainer

Ultimately it is up to the training provider to determine content, duration, structure and delivery of their courses. Most reputable training providers are affiliated to a governing body. These bodies purport to qualify their member organisations and uphold quality standards, but generally most only do so to some small degree.

The Practitioner style trainings tend to have a fairly generalist focus, that is, they are trained in such a way that the material can be applied to a diverse range of contexts. There are courses that offer a more specialised focus on, for example, Business, Therapy or Coaching. In reality the nature of NLP is such that, provided it has been well trained and learned, the practitioner will be able to apply the skills to any outcome of their choosing.

Once the basic skills of NLP have been mastered there are plenty of opportunities to take courses focussed on advancing very specific skills or application to specific contexts, for example: Ericksonian Hypnosis, Therapeutic Practice, Coaching, Use of Metaphor, TimeLine Therapy, Advanced Language Skills to name but a few.

NLP Application: self explanatory, this is simply the application of any of the patterns or models of NLP to a specific context. A (very limited) number of examples include:

Language Models

• The Meta Model: used for gaining specificity in communication with another
• The Milton Model: used to induce altered states of perception
• Sleight of Mouth: to undermine limiting beliefs and influence others
• Meta Program Elicitation: to establish Context Specific motivational traits

Change Formats

• The Fast Phobia Cure: for eliminating phobic responses
• The 6-Step Reframe: to generate alternatives to unwanted behaviours
• The SWISH: to change an habituated but unwanted behaviour

State Manipulation

• Circle of Excellence: creating a high performance Resource State you can access at will
• Collapse Anchors: eliminating the trigger to an unresourceful state
• Alphabet Game: to build a content free high performance state

The models and patterns of NLP make up an extensive toolkit. The application of NLP leverages Thinking, Language and Behaviour to move towards desired outcomes. The successful application of NLP is reliant only on aquisition of some basic skills, a flexible determined attitude and the ability to determine a desired outcome.

Self Application: you can use NLP to transform your life in a number of positive ways, for example by equipping yourself with:

• Power to manipulate and manage your own states, moods and emotions
• Expanding choice with respect to your behaviours and actions
• Greater understanding of others and how to interact in different and more effective and interesting ways
• Access to a wider perspective on your life
• Skills to help you communicate far more effectively and open up new possibilities
• Methods of setting goals and maintaining focus on those goals
• Ability to more effortlessly motivate yourself and those around you
• Tools to troubleshoot problems in new and diferent more effective ways

Helping Others: with it's roots in therapy NLP is ideal for those interested in helping others. You can learn how to help people:

• Overcome traumas, Phobias, Anxieties and Fears
• Forgive and forget the events of the past
• Achieve a more balanced and positive outlook on what life has to offer
• Gain confidence and increased self respect
• Feel diffferently about themselves

Business Application: NLP is a system for bringing about rapid change in people and any of the contexts in which people find themselves. All of the major challenges 21st Century businesses face involve people. In business NLP can be applied to improving and developing:

• Massive levels of Emotional Intelligence in your leaders
• Strategies for planning and achieving more challenging goals
• Outstanding communication between colleagues, teams and departments
• Enhanced management skills and development programs
• Recruitment, selection and retention policies
• Customer aware sales and marketing strategies
• Peak levels of creative interest and input