This Wednesday (9th June) we will be practicing LAB Profiling.

LAB Profiling


Taken from NLP’s Meta Model, ‘Language and Behaviour profiling’ or LAB profiling for short, is a series of questions designed to elicit peoples motivational patterns and behaviours from the language they use. Once you know a series of simple questions, you can then put them into casual conversation. The secret to LAB profiling is listening to HOW people answer the questions as much as WHAT they talk about. Once you know the words that can influence and motivate a person you can use these in your NLP/Coaching session with them to encourage them to achieve their goals.

The following example questions are designed for clients discussing their career and can be changed for different goals.

Motivational Traits: How to trigger motivation and the language to use to capture people’s interest.

Proactive/Reactive - no question for this level

Proactive Action, Do-It, Why Wait? - Short Crisp sentences

Reactive Try, Think About It, Could Wait, Should do

Q1. Criteria – “What do you want to more of in your Job?”

If given more the one criteria ask which criteria they find most important – you can use the parts integrated exercise to help with this.

Q2. Direction – “why is that Criteria Important” ask 3 times

Towards Attain, Gain, Achieve, Get, include, Goal

Away Avoid, Exclude, Recognise Problems, away from

Q3. Source – “How do you know when you will have done a good job?”

Internal Knows within self, I feel it, I just know

External Told by others, Can see it on people’s faces, Facts and figures to prove it

Q4. Reason - “Why did you choose (your current role)”

Options Criteria, choice, possibilities, variety

Procedures Story, how, necessary, didn’t choose

Q5. Decision Factors – “what is the relationship between this job and your last job”

Sameness Sameness, No change

Sameness with exception More, better, comparisons

Difference Change, new, unique

Sameness with exception and difference new and comparisons



Working Traits: How people deal with information and how to maintain motivation.

Scope – no questions for this level

Specific details, sequences, exactly

General overview, big picture, random order

Attention Direction – no questions for this level

Self short monotone responses – no emotions

Other animated, expressive, automatic responsive, respond to body language


Q1. Stress Responsive – “tell me about a work situation that gave you trouble”

Feeling goes in and stays in feelings

Choice goes in and out of feelings

Thinking doesn’t go in feelings



Q2. Style – “tell me about a work situation that was criteria”

“What did you like about it?”

Independent I, alone, sole responsibility

Proximity In control, others around, in charge

Co-operative we, team, share responsibility



Organisation – use answers from above question

Person people, feelings, reactions, people’s names, will feel good

Things tools, task, ideas, objects, goal, get the job done


Q3. Rule structure – “what is a good way to increase your success at work?” and “what is a good way for someone else to increase their success at work”

My/my my rules for me/my rules for you – what you would do if you were him…

My/. My rules for me/who cares - you’re sure about this and it doesn’t matter for others

No/My no rules for me/my rules for you – now that you have been informed about what’s expected, you can pass that along

My/Your my rules for me/your rules for you – you know what to do and you want to leave it to others to decide for themselves


Q4a. Convincer – “how do you know when someone else is good at their work?”

See look, show, perspective, image, clear, light up

Hear talk, listen, wonder, say, question

Read read reports, needed it on paper

Do touch, feel, grasp, solid, sensitive, test it out



Q4b. “How many times do you have to (see, hear, read, do) that to be convinced they are good?

Number of examples use the number they give you

Automatic you can assume, benefit of the doubt, decide fast, right now

Consistent try it, each time, every time

Period of time match period of time

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Sandie

Working with Metaphors

At the next practice session on Wednesday 12th May we will be talking about Metaphors and exploring how metaphors in everyday language can hold the 'key' to deciphering our own and our clients unconscious wisdom.

Using metaphors with ourselves or with a client can offer incredible insight into our unique perception of a certain situation, event or challenge. Talking via metaphors gives an individual the opportunity to see a situation from a new perspective in order to explore, in the comfort of their imagination, what needs to happen in order to move forward.

To get you thinking in terms of 'metaphors' have a practice with this simple warm up exercise:-

Finish each phrase with whatever sentence comes immediately to mind.


She woke up this morning feeling like …………………..

He knocked back the drink as if ………………..

The music made her feel ……………….

Nothing was the same, now that it was …………………

The smell of cut grass reminded her ………………..

The number 4 struck him as significant because …………………

The car came round the corner and towards her gate like ………….

He wanted to keep running but ……………

If she could just make it to the finish line she would feel like …………….


I hope that this exercise has stimulated your VAGOK systems and got your creative juices flowing.


Now think of a time recently when you were facing a particular challenge or problem. Can you remember how you felt at the time? Can you think of it in terms of a metaphorical analogy? For example; ' I felt like I was going round and round in circles, like I was on a carousel that would never stop. I was starting to feel sick but I had no idea whether it was safe to jump off, so I stayed on, going round and round in circles.'

This simple example can give us tremendous insight into how a particular problem 'feels' to the person experienceing the problem.

No consider how you would prefer to feel about this same problem. Here is another examle in the form of a dialogue between a coach and a client'

Client: 'Well, I would prefer to act sooner rather than later as I don't think the sickness is going to ease until I'm standing on firmer ground'.
Coach:'And how can you imagine this coming about?.
Client: Well, I'm scared to jump off but there are people around me who I could ask for help, someone might know a safe place to jump to.
Coach: And how would you do that?
Client: Well, I would call my friends over, tell them that I absoultely want to jump off the carousel and I'd ask them if they would be willing to help me find a safe place to land.

Metaphors can be used to gain a deeper understanding of problems and challenges with a view to exploring peoples options and creating a way forward. They can also be used to highten motivation, creativity and to create a visualisation of how they would like their ideal life to unfold.

I hope you will enjoy working with meataphors and your NLP skills will soar up like a brightly coloured kyte catching the wind, soaring up, up, to the greatest hights! Sorry, I couldn't resist ...

Timelines

Timelines

Where is your time line?

Think about something you did yesterday. Where did the picture of this event come from in your mind? Now think about an activity you started 2 days ago, where does this image start from? For most it will start in a different place. Do this for an event from 3 days ago, a week ago and even a month ago.

Do all your images and pictures originate from a different starting point? If you think of them all at the same time, do they form a line in relation to each other?

Now ask the same question for future events, do your future event images start from different points in your mind’s eye?

In most cases, if you align all your images from both the past and the future you will either have a selection of images creating a V shape or a straight line with past images coming from behind you and future events being in front of you?

Looking into your future

1.      Create an anchor for the present time, this could be a cord that you can hold on to, so, if needed you find your way back to the present during your time on your timeline. Stopping you from “getting lost”

2.      Imagine you can see your future in front of you, a future where you are at your best and at your peak performance. A future where everything has gone well for you and the future has happened as you wish it would, with you achieving all your goals.

3.      Ask, what is the first image you can see in your future? Point to where this image originates from (ask them to point)

4.      Do this for several important future events, each one going future into the future, until you can see yourself in the future full of knowledge and life experiences.

5.      Holding on to the anchor-cord, walk down your time line at each future image; describe the event using VAK to help you become associated with the image.

6.      Frame each future event and leave a symbol on the timeline to represent each future vision.

7.      As you get to the end of your timeline, experiencing all the future positive events, taking on all the knowledge, feelings, images and sounds that ensures the future you is the best future you, you could be.

8.      Imagine you are the positive future you who has achieved all your goals, look back down your timeline to the present you. If you were the future you and you could meet the present you, what advice would you give yourself.

9.      Go back down your timeline, every time you pass a symbol representing your image, take the symbol with both hands and bring it to your chest, as you do this, gain all the knowledge and wisdom from this event.

10.  As you return to the present you, take a deep breath and breathe in all the goodness and experiences you have gained by going into your future. How has this experience changed your outlook on the future?

NLP Training-Who do you recommend?

Many of our NLP practice group members are new to NLP and after practicing NLP techniques and seeing how effective they are first hand, they are quickly bitten by the NLP-Bug, wanting to learn more and become an NLP practitioner. Other members are already NLP practitioners, attending the group to increase their knowledge and delivery of NLP techniques and most are ready to take their training to the next level.



We also receive e-mails from nlp-ers from around the UK, who tell they follow our blog, print of the techniques and practice them with friends.



We are often asked which NLP (and other Techniques such as Solution Focus, LAB Profiling, Life coaching, etc) Trainers/Companies we would recommend.



We would like to put a list together of Training organisations, their contact details and more importantly your reviews and thoughts. Have you had undertaken any training? How would you rate them? Send us an e-mail and your experiences may help others to pick the right training organisation.

March Practice Group - The Wheel of Life with VAKOG

The Wheel of Life exercise is a commonly used coaching tool for assessing a clients present position or balance of life.  The wheel is used to look at each individual area of life and forms the basis for an explorative information gathering exercise whereby the client scores his level of satisfaction on a scale for each life area.

Using the wheel on a regular basis helps us to identify which life areas are working well; giving them energy, and which areas are not working well, which may be draining energy and creating stress.  The idea being that we can get a clearer picture of the client’s life and the areas which he may wish to focus on as a priority. It is also an opportunity for he client to fully appreciate and draw strength from the areas which are working well.

We will be using this technique today in pairs to help one another establish three life goals that will significantly improve our life. We will then use the VAGOK to elicit our partners preferred system, ie, Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic, Olfactory and Gustatory, and get our partner to create a visualization of what it will be like to have achieved their goal and to evoke full enthusiasm and motivation to ensure our partner takes immediate action.

1.    Draw a circle on a plain piece of paper

2.    Be mindful from the moment you start conversing with your client to listen out for clues as to which submodality they use the most.

3.    Ask your client to list every important aspect of their life, such as family, relationship, career, hobbies, etc. As your client lists them, divide your circle into triangles to represent each life area.

4.    By use very subtle mirroring of your clients body language, vocal tones, language etc, start to get into rapport with your client.  When you are both relaxed, ask your client to give you a brief summary of each individual life area, working around the wheel.  Ask your client to give each area a percentage score for their current level of satisfaction with each area. 

5.    Once you have worked around the wheel ask the client which life area, if improved, would have the greatest positive impact on their life as a whole.

6.    Ask the client to come up with life changing goals that would take the clients satisfaction score right up to 100% if achieved.

7.    Ask your clients to imagine what it would be like to achieve each goal. Ask them to explain in full detail how they would know when the goal has been achieved. 

"Imagine a miracle is about to happen and tomorrow morning your goal will has been fully achieved.  What will be different about your day?  How will you look? What will you see? What will you be doing? How will you feel?"  Explore this in full detail and set an anchor for your client if you know how.

8.    Paraphrase back to your client using his/her preferred system for emphasis, how amazing it will be to achieve his set goals.

9.    Ask the client what the first step towards his goal is (his first action step) and when he intends to take it. Record his answer.  If you have fully calibrated with the client, then he should be almost leaping out of his chair to take the first step.  If not, explore how he is feeling and move back to the wheel for a further review of the chosen goal. 

Introducing The Coaches Lounge - A Meeting Place for Coaching Professionals

Dear NLP friends,


I would like to introduce you to an exciting new coaching forum that I have recently set up.

The Coaches Lounge – A Meeting Place for Coaching Professionals. 

The site is for Coaches however I have included an area specifically for NLP practitioners.
As you will know, running a coaching business (or NLP practice) is predominantly an individual activity and I personally feel that we can miss out on the social aspect of working as part of a large department or organisation. I'm sure you will agree, Coaches/Practitioners tend to be gregarious, sociable people who enjoy the company of other positive, forward thinking individuals. Which is exactly why I have set up the Coaches Lounge.

The lounge intends to be a vibrant, sociable and informative community where we can meet fellow coaches and chat about all things relevant to having a career as a coach today.


Here you can:-

· join/start a niche group
· start a discussion
· ask questions
· offer your services
· share ideas
· recommend/sell/share coaching books, training and resources
· arrange to meet coaches in your area
· organise events/walks/social get togethers
· find/be a co-coaching friend
· find/be a mentor
· find/be a supervisor
.  join the ‘Tuesday Club’ to chat live every Tuesday
· chat about any topics in the social lounge
. Tweet till your hearts content using out Twitter feature



Please following link to the website and join the group!

www.thecoacheslounge.ning.com

Once registration you will receive an email welcoming you to the site. Once you have registered to the site, I would encourage you to set up a personal page from the vibrant designs, upload your a photo of yourself and introduce yourself to the many coaches waiting to meet you. Please don’t be put off by the low level of activity at this early launch stage – many other will be coming to join you very soon!


My vision for The Coaches Lounge is to create a community for coaches where we can appreciate the diversity of the industry and appreciate our common goal:-


For coaching to thrive; be a well respected, well utilised and highly visible resource for people wanting greater success and happiness in every area of their life.



Please help me spread the word about ‘The Coaches Lounge’ by forwarding this email to any groups or individuals who would enjoy being involved.

http://www.thecoacheslounge.ning.com/

I look forward to welcoming you to the site.

Very best wishes,

Sandie

High Peak Life Coach

http://www.highpeaklifecoach.wordpress.com/