Introducing NLP [Paperback]

Please note the title - "INTRODUCING Neuro-Linguistic Programming". In case it isn't clear (as the previous review suggests) this means that the book is an INTRODUCTION to NLP.

NLP has always been based on what WORKS - as established by good old fashioned trial and error - rather than chasing the latest theory. Not surprisingly, then, that has meant that NLP has changed very little over the last couple of decades. Which is why this book still represents an excellent INTRODUCTION to NLP as a whole.

Of course the founders of NLP have now gone off in their own directions - Bandler into DHE(tm) (Design Human Engineering), and Grinder into "New Code NLP" (loosely based on the work of Carlos Castenada and others).

Perhaps equally naturally, they both say they've moved on from what they started out with, but that doesn't rule out, per se, the value of their early work because it was so firmly rooted in EXPERIENCE.

Bandler, for example, now seems to be playing down the concepts of "parts" and the "6 step reframe".
All well and good.
But NLP is about WHAT WORKS FOR *YOU*, and for plenty of other people all this stuff about "parts" (originally derived from the work of Virginia Satir) still works just fine.

So, the long and short of it is, whilst it certainly isn't at the 'bleeding edge', this is still one of the leading INTRODUCTIONs to NLP.
In fact I'd say it is still Number 1.

Learn about subconscious communication which may help you rethink some of the things you say in order to deliver the intended message or to read what others are thinking. This requires a little practice and understand of verbal negation.

Discover a model which I can only describe as a model for inner peace. No, it does not tell you how to do this, it may not even describe it as inner peace but if you have knowledge about happiness philosophy it will make sense. Read the chapter on congruency, I find it inspiring.

Pacing and leading, this will change the way you see what it is to communicate with someone and how interesting a person can become when you first meet them and they tell you, and I get this all the time, "I feel like I've known you forever". That's because I'm modeling what a person does when they are comfortable with someone and have known them for awhile. Believe it or not, you will learn so much about people just by understanding their values, "trance words" or the words they use to describe their stronger feelings, "representational system" visual, audio, kinesthetic, etc., that with some practice you might find that yourself blown away by the results of your higher order communication.

These are a few applications to a few of the tools I use often and this is actually excerped from another review on a time management book where I recommend Intro to NLP and give insight on application:

"Allow your actions become congruent with your values, belief, purpose, whatever. I'm not religious myself but I imagine this can make things a little easier. It discusses "congruency" in a clear concise fashion that will be motivating in itself it's called the Dilt's model I believe. Essentially, if you understand what you want (may require some introspection, you maybe surprised how much we can learn by having a little internal dialog with ourselves) and measure all aspects of it's value relative to you, make some goals, short term, mid term and long term. Simple so far? Okay, to begin everyday, spend time planning your day in a way that reflects your values, i.e. your goals. Every time your doing something, anything, understand why your doing it, why it has value. This book will teach you to "anchor" your goal and it's attached value that it has, to everything you do, down to your valuable leisure time and taking out the trash. Done consistently over a period of time, and this may allow you to reframe the way you think about your opportunities to accomplish your goals how easy it is to "feel good" about your daily routine. Once you do this, which may require you step a little outside your comfort zone, you may find how easy it is to begin to be proactive in all aspects of your life leading ultimately to personal success."

Anyway, these are tools, and if your like me you may be less than fortunate and require someone to recommend this book in order to actually apply the tools but if you can be open minded you might find as I have that it's the book you will recommend more than any other to people you know.

actually excerped from another review on a time management book where I recommend Intro to NLP:

Allow your actions become congruent with your values, belief, purpose, whatever. I'm not religious myself but I imagine this can make things a little easier. It discusses "congruency" in a clear concise fashion that will be motivating in itself it's called the Dilt's model I believe. Essentially, if you understand what you want (may require some introspection, you maybe surprised how much we can learn by having a little internal dialog with ourselves) and measure all aspects of it's value relative to you, make some goals, short term, mid term and long term. Simple so far? Okay, to begin everyday, spend time planning your day in a way that reflects your values, i.e. your goals. Every time your doing something, anything, understand why your doing it, why it has value. This book will teach you to "anchor" your goal and it's attached value that it has, to everything you do, down to your valuable leisure time and taking out the trash. Done consistently over a period of time, and this may allow you to reframe the way you think about your opportunities to accomplish your goals how easy it is to "feel good" about your daily routine. Once you do this, which may require you step a little outside your comfort zone, you may find how easy it is to begin to be proactive in all aspects of your life leading ultimately to personal success.