Neuro linguistic programming or NLP is a technique of directing one’s senses, especially, visual, audio and kinaesthetic, in a positive manner towards realistic goals. It was a technique developed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder on the basis of a study on Fritz Perls, Milton Erickson, etc to identify and analyse the success of these people.

NLP aids in the recognition of our goals and identifying the ways and means of achieving them. Our actions and thoughts are controlled and restricted by our sensory organs with the brain playing a major role in it. NLP believes that the brain does the filtering of the world we see the way we want it, consciously or unconsciously. NLP aims at programming our thoughts and language in a systematic manner through the adoption of a positive behavioural pattern to achieve realistic goals.

Individual perception of the world or ‘maps’ as they are called, has a major role in determining one’s behaviour. Our ‘maps’ are decided by our experiences, generalisations, additions and deletions we make to it. What is important to one may not be of priority to another. Unrealistic maps can make people management difficult. NLP techniques help to understand why one behaves in a particular manner and to forecast them, if possible.

Every action is said to be the outcome of the five senses, namely, visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory. In business where team effort is vital, one must respect the deeds and thoughts of another. To recognise why one behaves in a particular way and to respect his actions we must try to think from his perspective. Besides understanding the other party’s behaviour, it also helps in the widening of our own thinking perceptive. For a leader, recognition of the attitude, behavioural patterns, etc of the team members are required to drive the team forward in harmony. Mirroring can also create a compatible relationship between the parties involved. Recognition of the needs of the customer through his body language can help the sales person to restructure his speech so as to draw the attention of the customer to the sales pitch. By observing the body language, the speech can be modified to magnetise the customer towards the pitch. The way of communicating can be altered to suit the situation. Similarly the NLP techniques can drive the customer to move with your ideas. The subject matter is divided into small or big ‘chunks’ and the common ‘chunks’ are exploited to get the clients into rapport with the presenter. The customer can also be coaxed to ‘mirror’ you, thereby bringing him to accept the proposition put before him unconsciously.

NLP techniques can also be used for self development. The senses can be rerouted to reframe the contents in a way that can help one to achieve goals. There is no failure in the NLP approach. Negative feedback is seen as a way of exploring new opportunities discarding the previous ones.

Backed by the scientific methods of hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, etc NLP is a highly effective tool to survive with a positive attitude. Accepting the best from the world and changing one’s goals so as to make it more realistic by welcoming the experiences of others helps to be more positive and successful in life.