To NLP or not to NLP

Posted by Richard Pedley on April 19, 2013 at 2:47pm in Being An Effective Practitioner

Hi all,

I am thinking about doing an NLP course but still a little undecided as there seems to be a lot of conflicting views on NLP some feel that there is huge value in it, others that it's just another fad all a bit "wishy washy" and has no basis in fact.

I haven't made my mind up one way or the other yet but feel that like lots of things there are probably elements that I would feel were valuable and elements that I would probably leave well alone.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and if you feel that there is value in it.

Also if you have attended any courses if you could recommend a provider that would be superb!

Many thanks

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Replies

Annie Charlton June 21, 2016 at 12:11pm

I'm really intersted in this topic but can't find anything about what people actually learn about during an NLP course, can anyone help?

What are the learning objectives? What activities do you do?

If you have done it what were your key take aways specifically?

Website generally talk about communication techniques but this is such a wide topic.

Thanks

Annie
- Val Craft > Annie Charlton June 23, 2016 at 2:38pm
  
  Hey Annie,
  
  This is a book the folks from Quadrant 1, where I studied NLP. I found their take on NLP very helpful. Might be worth a look if you can find a way of viewing it online or checking out in a book shop?!
  
  What are the learning objectives? What activities do you do?
  
  This really depends on the course you are doing and also the company with whom you study. It would be a good idea to call the companies you are researching courses through in order to find out the specifics of their ethos and their courses.
  
  If you have done it what were your key take aways specifically?
  
  The biggest thing for me was learning how to think about human behaviour on a spectrum depending on different situations rather than it being set in stone.. e.g. Honey and Mumford type of thing. I think there is some usefulness to things like Honey and Mumford but also it is limited. NLP gets you to think about behaviour as a spectrum and gives you ideas and suggestions on how to look at your own behaviour as well as how to better communicate with people not like you.
  
  Hope that's of some help to you?
  
  Val
karen pickering June 20, 2016 at 9:21am

Looking into NLP for the first time I think it looks as if its basically built on common sense and what we already know but on the unconscious basis .Making us more aware of these steps can only be a good thing and i'm sure the more I look into this I will find some really useful tools to use in both my Job and the outside world . Like any course there are always parts that you find more useful than others but as long as you come out of a course with at least a couple of nugget moments I consider it worth while i have already looked at the link provided by Val and reading the white paper exercise has given me things to start focusing on . Thanks Val .
- Val Craft > karen pickering June 23, 2016 at 2:38pm
  
  No worries
Nikkie Cox June 10, 2016 at 10:16am

Hi Richard,

I've looked into NLP over the years from a personal point of view and have taken away some good techniques to change the way I think and behave - and have probably subconsciously suggested these to other people.

Thanks,

Nikkie
Val Craft May 31, 2016 at 1:38pm

Hi Richard,

I have had a very positive experience with NLP courses through a company called Quadrant 1. I think understanding behaviour was the part I took most away from the courses I attended. I would very definitely recommend this company though.

I started by doing their 2-day presentations course. I am a confident and competent trainer but Pat from Quadrant 1 was the wife of one of board of trustees so we began making use of their company for training. As I was responsible for training in our organisation I went on this course. I learnt loads!!! It was so engaging! I never expected to get as much out of it as I did. I know people have said try a taster, maybe give one of their short-courses a go?

https://quadrant1.com/training-courses/presentation-skills-training...

After this I really wanted to do the business practitioner course and did so. I think the courses have given me some great tools to use and I would recommend checking a short course out to test the water for yourself.

Cheers,

Val
- Nikkie Cox > Val Craft June 10, 2016 at 10:16am
  
  Hi Val,
  
  Thanks for the link to Quardrant 1.
  
  Nikkie
Diane Allton May 30, 2016 at 9:18pm

There are some key things that NLP alongside some other disciplines does well - helps you learn to read people (sensory acuity) but also focuses on making changes. Emotion, thought and reality interplay and NLP helps with the understanding of this. I am an NLP coach and some of the tools we use are very effective indeed.
James Bushnell February 3, 2016 at 8:07am

I found it a mix of some useful communication tools and tips, e.g. language patterns, coaching, perceptual positions and some more abstract techniques such as anchoring, an exercise where you hold imaginary balls / weights and one with cleaners in your head(!)

The useful tools were, to a degree, common sense, but still good to practice. The abstract stuff didn't work for me at all, but some people on the programme found them useful.
- Howard Rose > James Bushnell February 3, 2016 at 8:19pm
  
  Hi James,
  
  Thanks for the comments, yes for me I found the same. Some great tools and techniques but also some more wacky ones. But as they say if it works it works, and that is the key thing.