NLP for beginners 24th Sept 2008

Well Wednesday evening 24th Sept 2008 found myself with 15 other people in a room at a local college to learn about NLP. I know a little having done coaching work and developed some NLP indicators in my workplace.

First feelings (yes the Kinesthetic part of me) mentally said 'what am I doing here?' when scanning the room with my eyes (visual) and then being asked why I am here by the tutor to which I replied (auditory) 'learn how to improve my coaching skills' with an animated smile and gesture of my arms I guess.

Introducations with the class revealed some with 'meaning of life' style questions, whereby others had more pressing health issues to conquer. Others wanted to hone up their 'people skills' and others just plain curious.

The map is not the territory opened up the dialogue followed by the big questions, 'what do we want?' From this course, our relationship, our work, our life?

Next an exercise we ask a colleague in the classroom what we want and talk about themselves. I paired with a guy who had worked with a charity for 19 years before being made redundant. We seem to have a similar outlook on life. I said I wanted knowledge so it would help me perform better with my coachees.

Second exercise was listen to music in three different way, visually, auditory and Kinesthetically, which showed a difference in the way we behaved. Visually I was walking round looking at the pictures in the room, auditory I was nearly stationary (had tweaky shoes) and focused more on the words of the music, and Kinesthetically I was sensing the mood of the song.

Third exercise a scenario involving a person at work who was very tetchy and getting upset. How/what would you do? Ideas in the four person group were 'suggest there are other ways of being', 'just chill out', 'just let her get worse'. The real answer is to examine the meaning attached to her behaviour. She was behaving because of a certain map of reality she holds. NLP is suppose to challenge the map and challenge the person's beliefs and ways of thinking.

Given some notes, and Learner Initial Assessment to study. No real homework just be 'more aware' use 'all five senses' 'be aware of outcomes' and 'what you really want'.

Have got several books for this course which are:-

• Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies (Paperback) by Romilla Ready (Author), Kate Burton (Author)
• NLP: The New Technology of Achievement (Paperback) by Steve Andreas (Author), Charles Faulkner (Author), and
• Coaching with NLP: How to Be a Master Coach (Paperback) by Joseph O'Connor

Overall the first session went okay. Interaction within class patchy and could be better. Hypothesis that there will some people drop out by the third week, see if I am correct.