Learning NLP From Books & Articles
Why is it that some people believe that NLP can be learned
from NLP books?
Granted, NLP books contain a great deal of "information"
that may be useful. In my opinion NLP books delete most of the message and leave
the author and reader with no feedback about the reader's understanding
of the subject.
During my 20 year career in sales I have trained hundreds
of direct salespeople. The most common problem I had to deal with was
breaking ineffective sales habits. The so called "self taught" salespeople had
read something in a book or article and practiced it incorrectly, until they
were very good at not getting great results. "Why are you doing
that?"..... "I read it in a book."
Many sources generalize that most people communicate
their ideas using 50% visual communication, 40% tonal and only 10% words. In
my opinion that's all that most NLP books contain of the original message, 10%.
Guru I am not. Although it's surprising how easily people
attach that tag to someone who has taught them something that's really helping
their life. Here's how I approached learning the NLP I am using. In the
spring of 1987 I read Tony Robbins NLP book Unlimited Power. "Way cool" I thought,
"I want to know this".
I was not about to make the same mistake I have seen so many
times and start believing that I had learned enough to begin applying everything
that I could read about. Then rush out to start doing it ineffectively. I decided
not to read any more NLP books until I had an opportunity to learn more. I knew
what I knew and would have to use that well. My philosophy was (still is) that
using flexibility, understanding, communication skills, focusing on those you
are communicating with and helping them get satisfaction, will achieve your
goals.
I couldn't fly off for a training somewhere (both my kids
were small babies at the time), so I called to hire Tony. He couldn't accommodate
the dates I wanted and recommended several other NLP trainers. I selected Shaun Erb (now retired)
and soon had 25 people to share
the expense of flying the NLP Trainer to us! The NLP training
focused on NLP attitudes, methods and skills for enhancing our effectiveness
in business! That intensive training continues to have positive consequences
in my life as well as the lives of attendees I have kept in contact with.
Many of us had had training with Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, etc. They were
good, but did not have the impact on results that NLP did. Shaun made
it perfectly clear to us that what we had learned was by no stretch of the imagination
a complete NLP training. It was a beginning.
An opportunity for me to learn more from someone who knows
more came in 1997 when I attended the Master Practitioner training by John La
Valle and Richard Bandler. The results I experienced are an accelerated
rate of achievement ever since. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much
Shaun Erb had taught us ten years earlier, and how similar the training style
was; Focusing on ability, understanding and results, not on memorizing
name tags for this and that.
I immediately set up a private practice, a few clients a
week, while continuing to run my industrial supply company (since 1992).
The clients continue to come from referrals and a yellow pages listing under
hypnotherapy. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I continue to be pleasantly surprised
by the positive results single NLP sessions have achieved with people who have
"serious problems" (I like pleasant surprises).
In 1998 I attended Trainers training with Richard Bandler
and John La Valle and have been providing NLP Practitioner training each year
since then. I teach what I know and do whatever it takes (wit) to make
sure the students "get it". I haven't read all the NLP books. My training
style is close to that of my teachers. My students get the attitude, understanding
and abilities to get results using "NLP techniques" or creating what is needed
on the spot. My experiences of using NLP while working with "troubled"
and "successful" people, teaching, selling, public speaking, entrepreneuring
and living, are the insights I bring to the training.
My experience of learning is that the more I learn, the
more I understand that there is a lot more to learn. I am no more
than a man with a passion to teach others what I know works. In my
opinion books are great to introduce people to what is possible and to instruct
those who are willing to test what they learn and check the results.
Steve Boyley.
Licensed Trainer of NLP.
