Table of Contents

Foreword Dr. Sally Vanson 11

Introduction 13

How NLP: The Essential Handbook for Business is structured 14

Practical tips when reading this book 15

A quick word on ethics and best practice 16

Part I The Foundations 17

1 What Is NLP and How Can It Help You? 19

Overcoming the challenges you face at work

Challenges in the workplace 19

What is NLP? 21

The benefits of NLP 22

Caveats 23

2 Communication at Work 25

What really happens when people talk?

Overview of communication at work 25

The three main filters 27

Using these three filters at work 29

What influences how we filter? 30

"Conscious thinking" versus "automatic pilot" 34

Final thoughts 35

3 Attitudes That Count 37

The mindset for business success

Setting the scene 37

NLP Presuppositions 38

Being "At Cause" 43

The Principles for Success in business 44

4 Achieving Your Goals 47

How to set and reach your targets

Why set goals? 48

A sports approach to achieve business goals 49

NLP approaches to goal setting 51

Goal setting for individuals 58

Goal setting for groups and organizations 59

Part II Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication 61

5 Building Relationships at Work 63

How to get people on your side

Sensory acuity 63

Rapport 68

6 Communicating in Everyone's Language 75

Altering your style to suit the listener

Why is this so useful? 75

How we gather and process information 76

Preferred representational systems 77

Using representational systems at work 82

Sensory-based language 86

7 The Power of Language 91

Advanced speaking and listening skills at work

Why are we covering language? 92

The Hierarchy of Ideas 92

Implied meanings within language 97

Small words with big meanings 103

Abstract language 105

Power questions 112

Stories, analogies, and metaphors 117

Part III Some Specific NLP Techniques 119

8 Organizational and Personal Alignment 123

Walking your talk

Why is this model so useful? 123

The Neurological Levels model 124

Some key principles about the Neurological Levels model 126

Using the Neurological Levels model to gain alignment 128

9 Managing Your Thoughts 135

How to change the way you think

Why is this so useful? 135

Using submodalities 139

10 The Right State 147

How to create it for you and others

Why is anchoring so useful? 147

An overview of anchoring 148

How to create an anchor for yourself 149

Anchoring other people at work 154

Applications of anchoring at work 156

11 Seeing Other Perspectives 159

A key to understanding and insight

In which situations is "perceptual positions" useful? 159

Key concepts 160

The perceptual-positions process 160

Applications for individual use 164

Applications for wider use 166

12 Changing the Meaning of Events 169

Turning negatives into positives and handling objections

In which situations is reframing useful? 169

Key concepts 169

The two main types of reframing 170

Practical tips for reframing 171

Handling objections 174

Applications for individual use 176

Applications for wider use 176

13 Changing Beliefs 177

Simple and powerful ways to alter your thinking

Why is belief change so useful? 177

Key concepts 177

Changing beliefs conversationally 179

Applications for individual use 181

Applications for wider use 181

Part IV Understanding, Influencing, and Motivating People at Work 183

14 Values 185

The key to motivating and influencing

Why is a knowledge of values so important? 185

Key concepts 186

Working with values 187

Delving deeper: Criteria equivalents 191

Applications for individual use 192

Applications within organizations 195

15 Meta Programs 199

A deeper understanding of how to influence people at work

Why are meta programs so useful? 199

Key concepts and background 200

The meta programs and how to use them 201

How to get the most from this chapter 202

Applications for individual use 226

Applications within organizations 227

Part V Replicating Excellence With NLP 229

16 Modeling 231

How to replicate excellence at work

Why is modeling so useful at work? 231

Key concepts and background 232

An overview of the modeling process 232

Some considerations when modeling 233

Strategies 236

Applications of decision strategies at work 239

Part VI Applying NLP at Work 241

17 Applications of NLP 243

Reference guide when using NLP for specific work activities

The foundations 244

Overview of the 16 activities 245

Summary 263

Appendix A Suggested Answers to Exercises 7.2 and 7.4 265

Appendix B Choosing an NLP Training Course 267

Resources for Further Learning 273

Glossary 279

About the Author 285