NLP for Work

How to use NLP for success at Work

Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) built its roots in the field of psychotherapy, in the late 70’s. Over many decades, it has only now become more commonplace in corporates, where NLP for work tools are applied to leadership, coaching and culture alignment.

I have in my corporate NLP practice, spent more than 18 years working with senior leaders within the Asia Pacific Region, in helping them shape cultures and use NLP for success at work.

Today, leaders are more open to engaging coaches and trainers and the stigma of the past (that there had to be something wrong to hire a coach) has receded into the distance. Many corporate employees want to improve career growth and manage themselves efficiently to progress to a level of seniority by a certain age.

With a turnaround of posture towards coaching, this ambition drives them to build self-confidence at work and take the bull by its horns. They search for accelerated approaches to make things happen and achieve the goals they set for themselves, faster and more efficiently.

The philosophy that overarches NLP technology is that if I can change my mind, I can change my performance. So when I change my performance, I change my results. The tools to change one’s mind, lie in the NLP toolbox.

So what constitutes NLP tools? Taking a step back, the entire model is based on re-programming thought patterns. As human beings, the habits we form from young are absorbed through a process of osmosis. We take on what our parents and environment teach us, without a second thought. Why?

Because our conscious mind is inexperienced and our unconscious mind is not fully formed till about the age of 12. These emotional thought patterns affect our mental health and carry through into our lives as adults at home and work. This then drives our leadership and managerial styles.

When corporates cascade NLP for work courses down the hierarchy, top down, the results are phenomenal. Every employee learns the same models to build self-confidence at work.

Now think about it for a second. If everyone in the company is on the same level playing field, wouldn’t we all be speaking the same language and using NLP for success at work? The answer is a resounding YES! Seamless communication leads to a tremendous spike in results. 

As NLP tools are built on a foundation of numerous success beliefs, one that stands out is “context, process and structure are important, not content” When employees learn the power of beliefs like this, to deal with conflict for instance, they address the situation from a totally different angle, with clean and fast results.

Content of a situation takes time and is often messy because it gets personal. Typically it sounds like this “he said/she said…”

Today the younger generation is interested to hasten and improve career growth. Hence NLP being an accelerated learning model fits perfectly into the mindset of a high performer or a progressive employee, who wants to build self-confidence at work.

Knowing that beliefs work as accelerators to our goals, we would do a deep dive to help them surface, at an NLP for work course. What beliefs drive you to be a low or high performer? Where and when did you learn how to believe these?

“I am not good enough” is a common example of a limiting belief, that might hinder you from better results. Most often, people are unaware of the beliefs stuck in their unconscious mind, which need to be flushed out.

These are some of the processes you would learn at an NLP for success at work course. Once a person becomes aware of the beliefs that drive them, we blow them out of the water. Not surprising that after this, an employee could build self-confidence at work easily.

I hope as you read this article that you have some semblance of understanding as to how NLP works and how we can help to improve career growth. An employee who has removed past negative hindrances, could very well believe the sky is the limit and soar to new heights. That’s the idea anyway!

You may realise by now, that there is no need for repetitive exercises like doing affirmations or reminding yourself to out-perform. This is working with your conscious mind which is slow and hard to change. NLP works with your unconscious mind hence all work is done via the five senses. Make the change and job is done! 

Imagine the time you save. It is like unknotting the rope within us so the person is able to move freely. None of us like the feeling of being knotted up. Are you able to move freely? Once unknotted, the feeling of ease and being able to breathe again from this release, is how profound change happens at an NLP for work course.

When I first started my business, I had a client who came to me for health issues. He was the CEO of a financial planning company. Uncannily after we worked through his belief systems and re-aligned his values, his relationships and other aspects of his life improved too.

So you see, to build self-confidence at work we work with you as a whole. Once the unknotting happens, you will see a new outlook and feel totally refreshed! A new way of operating is available if you choose to have it. This is the magic of NLP for success at work. It impacts your life in more ways than one!

Sylvia Fernandes is the Founder & CEO of VIA Frontiers. She is a Master Trainer of NLP who is specialised in corporate applications. She started her business in Sydney in 2002 and has been operating in the Asia Pacific Region ever since. She is currently based in Singapore. She is also the author of Bye Bye Black Cat -- Turn Your Luck Around and Realise Opportunities. Visit VIA Frontiers for more information.