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NLP : Neuro-Linguistic Programming

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NLP is either an effective humanistic psychology or cult-led pseudo-scientific charlatanism. I'll try and explain the first version here (and touch on the other).


For me, the central, most important idea of NLP is that we human beings all carry most of our thoughts, ideas, memories, meanings and history around with us as collections of images, sounds and feelings. From that simple concept many powerful tools and techniques have been developed that impact most areas of human thought and communication.


If you were looking for the Natural Language Processing version of NLP, I'm sorry, you're in the wrong place.

What is NLP

. . . multiple descriptions . . .

NLP is slippery and elusive, just as soon as you think you have a firm grasp on what it is it takes another squirm and slips away again. Here are some definitions that I've found useful - if you have another one please let me know.
  1. The study of subjective experience. This is one of the earliest definitions and one of the most useful. NLP is not about the measurable, observable, recordable objective world. It is about how we human beings do things inside our heads and, to some extent. bodies. It is about, thoughts, states, emotions, getting things done, personal skills, communication, all the 'soft' stuff of life.
  2. Interior decoration for the mind. I heard Richard Bandler use this in the early 90s and it has stuck with me. Many of us take enormous time and effort to arrange our living, working and recreation spaces in ways that please us. Yet, for the most part, out internal space where perhasp we spend the greatest amount of out time, is left as nature & nurture happened to have it be. NLP holds that we do have that choice.
  3. A set of techniques. This is part of the (contorted) definition on Wikipedia as I write. It is true, but not complete. NLP does contain many techniques, and is more than the collection of techniques as a garden is more than a 'collection of plants'.
  4. A humanistic psychology. Humanistic psychologies are distinct from the 'psychoanalytic' model, which focuses on unconscious mental processes through association; and the academic behavioural-cognitive approach, which focuses and observable and measurable behaviours. Humanistic psychologies start from a premise that people are basically OK (not fundamentally flawed); they look at the whole person, not just unconscious processes or observable behaviours; and emphasise change & development, that is to help people develop as well as to 'understand' or 'mend' them. NLP is distinct among the humanistic psychologies by virtue of its underlying concept of representations - internal images, sounds & feelings - which in turn lead to the portfolio of NLP tools and techniques.
  5. A pragmatic school of thought ". . . an epistemology - that addresses the many levels involved in being human." "NLP is a multi-dimensional process that involves the development of behavioral competence and flexibility, but also involves strategic thinking and an understanding of the mental and cognitive processes behind behavior. . ."
    A definition from Robert Dilts' website.
  6. Neuro-Linguistic Programming Probably the least helpful name and definition. Apocryphally made up on the spur of the moment NLP has suffered from it ever since.
    Neuro related to the nervous system in the brain and the body.
    Linguistic related to language, the way we use words and the effect they have.
    Programming related to patterns of behaviour, the way we learn and adopt familiar ways of doing things - and the processes by which those familiar ways can be changed.

Key people in NLP

. . . who's who . . .

Many people have contributed to NLP. The list here is far from complete but I've tried to include a representative group of those who have made significant contributions.
  1. Richard Bandler co-founder with John Grinder whilst they were both at University of California, Santa Cruz. The two of them discovered the central concepts of NLP, tested them in NLP groups seminars, and wrote the early NLP books. Bandler has continued to develop and teach NLP and regularly leads seminars.

Criticism of NLP

. . . cult, pseudoscience, snake-oil . . .

NLP has been attacked often and sometimes vociferously. It's difficult to separate out the elements of personality, marketing, science and illogic but here are a few thoughts of mine.
  1. A cult NLP has no central organisation, indeed no organisation worthy of the name. It is a loose knit (sometimes un-knitted) community of several thousand trainers and probably a million or two people who've been trained over then last 30 years. From time to time one NLP trainer or another may attract some particular attention or notoriety but NLP fails all the 'usual' tests of being a cult.

NLP Link list

Robert Dilts' NLP University
The site of Robert Dilts' NLP developer and writer; and of NLP University
NLP World
The home of NLP World magazine
The NLP Encyclopaedia
Everything you wanted to know about NLP and more

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BobJanes

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