NLP Patterns for the Beginner

NLP, or to give it its full title, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is an approach to understanding human behaviour and experience through the study of the brain (neuro), the way we represent experience (linguistic) and the repeatable behaviours we reproduce as a direct result of our experience (programming).

Over the last thirty years or so NLP Practitioners have been exploring the practical links between psychological and neurological research and human behaviour. To do so they have defined a range of tools, and approaches (many borrowed or developed from the more mainstream approaches to psychology, counselling and therapeutic practice) which allow them to create ‘models’ of how things ‘might’ work.

The first thing you need to understand about NLP is that it works from a number of core presuppositions. Many of these notions are based around questions like..

“What would happen if..?”

“If this were true what would that mean in terms of…?”

“How do you (we) know that (this)…?”

“How can you (we)….?”

“What happens when…?”

All of these are good research questions and of course are not the preserve of NLP. However when placed within a structured approach these questions can be used to explore the what, how, where and when of human experience and behaviour.

For example…

You watch a great speaker, you enjoy their presentation.

If you step back from the experience you can question HOW you were engaged, WHAT behaviours the speaker engaged in to engage, HOW the speaker managed time, attention, information, questions, WHAT behaviours they displayed when being asked or answering questions.

These questions can give an insight into the HOW and WHAT of excellent presentation skills.

Now, if you can talk to the speaker you can ask them the same questions but about their own experience of what they see, hear, feel and think.

Put this information together and you may start to build model of HOW to be an excellent presenter.

The model will contain a series of ‘patterns’ that you recognise – a series of behavioural approaches that are consistent with what makes that motivational speaker motivating.

Over the years NLP practitioners have noticed that there are some fairly consistent models of the how, what, where and when of behaviours and these have been termed ‘patterns’.

For example the NLP Language Patterns define ways in which language is used; suggest ways to question the underlying meaning of what is being said in order to connect the speaker with their internal experience.

There are Behavioural Patterns which provide some way of exploring how an individual is processing sensory experience. Eye Accessing patterns suggest particular thinking processes for instance and body language can suggest particular internal experiences.

The way individuals get conscious and unconscious feedback from their actions involves a whole host of internal processes can be described in terms of NLP patterns.

Finally all of the NLP intervention techniques are based upon an understanding of the hypothetical nature of these patterns and using them in some way to create breaks in ‘patterns’ of behaviour; to offer new ‘patterned’ ways of responding and enhance interpersonal communication by utilising the observed behavioural, linguistic and processing patterns of the client.

For those of you desiring a more concrete example of an NLP pattern let’s look at a couple of simple ones:-

The way we reconsider – re-present expriences

We can experience a memory or an emotional state from the inside (associated)) or view it like an external observer (disassociated).

If you associate with a memory or an emotional state you are actually ‘there’ and will probably re-access all of the feelings and emotions you had at the time.

If you disassociate with a memory or an emotional state you are possibly more able to be able to ‘observe’ what is happening to the ‘you out there’.

The way you are motivated – what gets you going

Some people are ‘drawn to’ brighter futures and well defined dreams. Others are ‘pushed away from’ undesirable situations and realities.

Are you more PUSH motivated or PULL motivated – that is TOWARDS a goal or AWAY from a negative state. Of course both towards and away from factors are part and parcel of an individuals motivational strategy BUT which one is the ‘final convincer’, the image that really drives you?

These two ‘patterns’ are part and parcel of what NLP Practitioners term ‘meta-programs’. These are the perceptual and behaviour strategies that largely happen at an unconscious level; that act as internal filters for experience.

NLP is about PATTERNS – the way people organise, relate to and respond to sensory information

NLP is about STRATEGIES – the behaviours (conscious and unconscious) that we use to interact both internally and externally with the world

NLP is about MODELLING – generating meaningful questions about patterns and strategies so that we can explore how people do what they do.

NLP Practitioner and Trainers who have really connected with the approach know that these models, patterns and strategies may (or may not) exist in any verifiable (quantifiable) way BUT the processes used within NLP take these ideas, these presuppositions, and apply them to promote, encourage and support change within self and others. It is the process of NLP that can be verified in terms of quality outcome.

Alan

Tags: behaviour, nlp definition, nlp ideas, nlp patterns, sensory experience

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 15th, 2010 at 9:47 am and is filed under NLP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.