NLP Training, Techniques & Products for learning NLP

BBC 4 have run a 30 minute piece on NLP called "Power to Persuade: The Story of NLP"

Within it journalist William Little interviews Richard Bandler, Michael Carroll and several others with a view of exploring what it is, does it work and questioning the "science" behind it.

The interview (IMHO) doesn't really add much to the story of NLP for anyone who has read an introductory text but it does highlight the increasing drive by some people looking to validate/invalidate its claims.

This isn't the first or last time someone has challenged if "NLP works", "isn't it just pop psychology?" etc. etc. Others have called NLP a cult (see Sects, 'Cults' & Alternative Religions, written by a David V. Barrett).

My experience of learning and using NLP has taught me that the distinctions and meaning someone can make about any subject or experience depends on who is looking, how they are looking at it and what filters they are looking at it from.

NLP isn't a science. It focuses on creating models of excellence in performance - whose worth is measured on usefulness, not whether what we as NLPers describe/presuppose is "true". The ultimate question is - does it get you results? For many people this has been most certainly yes and also at times, no. People aren't robots, so it is unreasonable to expect that it will work for everyone in every context.

Either way, the curiosity and energy of the co-founders that started the field has resulted in many great frameworks, techniques and strategies for achieving all manner of outcomes being created and are widely used in many trainings and professional contexts.

The Research Question:

Research may or may not find 'validity' in the techniques and processes of NLP.

Either way I'll be taking any 'conclusions' under review. Here is why.

Much of what passes as 'research' isn't a solid as you think.

Just because researchers says something is so doesn't necessarily mean it is. All claims to facts of science and research should be appended with "to the best of our (research team's) current knowledge as of this date."

The results of tests vary on who is doing the testing, what is being tested and how it is being measured and reported. When it comes to NLP, a big factor is also who is doing the intervention/change/technique etc.

Of course to be given any serious weight any research should go through the peer review process. Yet a lot of "research" isn't. Even when it is, and assuming that it is an accurate peer review, the conclusions that make headlines are often expressed without the full context on which these conclusions have been reached and therefore can easily mislead.

Bottom line - without looking deeper into the who/what/how the research was done and who by/how it was reviewed - you may want to hold any conclusions at arms length…

Of course it is also worth saying that just because something hasn't been empirically tested or that a piece of research hasn't been peer reviewed doesn't automatically mean that the conclusions aren't sound. Rather it raises concerns about the credibility of the research - and also may be a warning flag that some company or body has an agenda to grind and wants "scientific" research.

Ideology also plays a role. The ideology of the persons doing the testing will influence how they perceive, act, look for answers, formulate hypotheses etc. Researchers are human beings and not devoid of being influenced by their own beliefs, or indeed the social and ideological structures in which they exist.

For years tobacco companies funded scientific research demonstrating that cigarettes did not cause negative health effects. Other companies/organizations are no doubt looking to 'science' to help substantiate the conclusions they want.

Knowing where to look, what to look for and how to look and prove yourself wrong is vital to designing effective research projects. If anyone is involved in that work now, or in the future, or if you know of any good NLP- or neuroscience-related projects happening near you - feel free to let me know.

In the meantime, check out the BBC 4 broadcast here.

[Note: This broadcast is online for 6 more days before they take it down.]

Got a question, opinion or comment - feel free to submit it below.

The "power" of NLP is oversold.

I mean if you read some books, hear sound bytes on the magical power of NLP to transform your life and go to many "ra-ra" seminars you'd be forgiven for thinking just show up, hand over big wad of cash and "Life will never be the same…"

Now before you think I'm slating NLP, good folks like Tony Robbins etc. think again.

Is that BS I hear?

Years ago I read an article written by an NLP Trainer that went along the lines of if NLP is so good where is my Ferrari?  And I thought to myself - what a load of BS! (belief systems) (The thought, not the article).

Since I started NLP Times, I get a lot of questions from people all around the world asking all manner of questions, but two of the more popular ones are:

Can someone improve themselves through NLP? or Can NLP help make me a lot of money?

NLP by itself won't help you do sqat!

Because as Richard Bandler once said… NLP isn't a thing. Many folks will try and sell you on the idea that it is, that if you do this, buy that, attend this training then everything in your life that sucks/is unsatisfactory will be transformed.

But more often you know from experience, it won't.

The question is why?

Have we all been swindled? Are there some wicked sales people and marketers pushing us to buy stuff we don't want that they know won't do the trick? Actually, this is surprisingly not the case. Before, that kind of stuff did happen a lot, but now everyone is more switched on to being "manipulated". (Although there are still plenty of folks out there who will try their arm.)

Are the trainers bad? No for the most part I don't think that is true either. Yes there is a big difference sometimes in what various trainers can do and how well they can evoke learning in a student, but most folks who are full time trainers are doing the best they can and take pride in their work.

So where does the response-ability lie?

With us.

With our belief that there is a magic bullet.

With the expectation that money given = results expected… without effort.

Most of us have fallen victim to this pattern at sometime or other (or perhaps still are?)

NLP isn't a panacea.

Nor is hypnosis, EFT, personal development etc. none of them are. None of those fields work in every context, or get the perfect result every time, with everyone.

The truth behind all the promotions anyone does regarding NLP is NLP doesn’t change your life, you do… when you put the graft in to make it work for you. And sometimes that means you need to be persistent, very persistent to get the result you want. (Richard Bandler, Tony Robbins and many others are all great examples of rock solid persistence when they are in the pursuit of something they want).

A good training/product/coach can help expedite the time to get the outcomes you want, give you excellent strategies and knowledge and significantly reduce the pain/time/effort required but it doesn't entirely remove it.

NLP isn't a fix-all, but it is a superb technology for helping with a huge variety of "problems" and can enrich anyone's life when you use it.

You can use it for:

• Changing unwanted feelings
• Changing "limiting" beliefs/thoughts
• Getting over trauma/fears/phobias
• Creating a brighter/better futures
• "Wiring up" new behaviours
• Acquire new skills considerably faster
• Helping others
• Etc. etc.

While NLP has many truly fantastic models, techniques and tools for doing all kinds of great things that isn't the same as saying we have a 'matrix-like' upload function, nor is it the case that it will instantly make everything brilliant/better/good if we don't bother to use it. (Obvious yes, but how many people feel they would like to have better state management but don't use the many ways to influence state we already have?).

So next time you see a training/product or sales person (NLP or anything else in personal development) which says "no work required" or "guaranteed instantaneous results for any outcome". Take a moment to think again and say to yourself:

REALLY?

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Great news - starting today Master trainer Michael Breen is going to be posting his thoughts on NLP and related topics in a new blog at NLP Times.

Without a doubt Michael has one of the sharpest minds on NLP and has a lot to offer students at all levels.

In case you don't know Michael yet, he has taught over 25,000 people NLP, co-deliverd trainings with Richard Bandler for ten years, created several unique and brilliant models and has been using his skills with NLP for many decades, mostly in business and high performance contexts.

So it is fair to say he has a lot of experience to share and I'm delighted that he's going to be posting here.

He's written a great first post on one of the early influencers on NLP, a teacher named Ernst von Glasersfeld. Ernst was the co-founder of an approach to learning which influenced the list of NLP presuppositions we now use and is worth learning about.

Check it out here.

Having the know-how to deliver powerful learning experiences really well requires real skill. Unfortunately almost no trainings teach you how to design and facilitate training experiences. Most trainer trainings focus on stage management, state and basic nesting, yet few show you how to actually take whatever material you have and organise and present it in a way that ensures your participants really get the most from it. And those trainings that do cover training design to some degree typically focus on the 4MAT fixed system of presenting information. Yet if you have ever watched Richard Bandler teach you know Richard doesn't follow the 4MAT system. Up until now there has been very few good resources to learn how to design great trainings.

But that is about to change for a lucky few.

If you would like to learn how to design and deliver a programme that is not only entertaining and interesting, but also provokes lasting change and profound leanings then the upcoming training programme by Michael Breen will be of great interest to you.

It's called Training Mastery: Design & Facilitation and is happening Thursday November 18th-20th in London. I recorded a short video with Michael below to have him explain more.

To find out more and to book, click here.

Michael is going to be covering the best of NLP processes for training design and facilitation - so if you are a public communicator, trainer, or someone who would like to be know the magic NLP training stuff that is not in any books, CD's etc, then I'd highly recommend you book yourself onto this training course. It will be three days of training magic that will transform the way you approach and deliver your trainings and give you the strategies and tools to create superb learning experiences.

Click here to find out more.

If you have a question on this course or any of the above then you can submit a question here.

[Note: You do not need to be a certified trainer to attend this course, this is an open masterclass to all who are interested in how to do great training design.]

Last night I interviewed Master Trainer Owen Fitzpatrick on how to have charisma. Owen's a master at this stuff and anyone
listening could hear why.

We had nearly 400 people register for the event with people attending from 3 continents who submitted tons of questions…
and Owen gave great answers.

And the good news is for a limited time you can catch the replay for free here. Enjoy over 90 minutes of training.

Owen shared lots of great distinctions and strategies on how to develop greater personal charisma.

Here is a taste of what he covered:

> What charisma really is & what it is not

> The inner game of charisma and the role of beliefs

> What use anchoring can play in cultivating a charismatic state

> What are some of the charismatic strategies used by Richard Bandler, Tony Robbins, Bill Clinton & Barack Obama

> Plus much more

Owen also shares details on his awesome upcoming training program Charisma Bootcamp.

Catch the replay here.

To your increased mastery,
Tom

PS: This replay page will only be up for a short time so go ahead while its still online.