THE PRESUPPOSITIONS OF NLP are just convenient assumptions that allow CHANGE to happen. A deep-seated belief that if something does not serve you, you can change it.
Some of them are below. Click on the image below to watch the webcast that lists and explains all 14 presuppositions of NLP.
Assignment: Once you have read through and watched the webcast, choose 5 presuppositions that are meaningful to you and write a 2 pages article on their related impact in your life: explain why they are important to you and why you chose them. Give concrete examples and anecdotes that show how they have manifested or not in your life. Draw conclusions. Then, email me your article.
PRESUPPOSITION #1: PEOPLE ARE NOT THEIR BEHAVIOUR
You are more than how you behave.
Have you ever seen someone change behaviour? Well, obviously yes!
So that’s important to keep in mind, accept the person and change the behaviour.
By the way, think about children as young as 3 years old who are diagnosed as having ADD and put on medication because of the way they behave!
PRESUPPOSITION #2: THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY
It means that the words we use are not the events/items themselves. When you prepare for a trip, you look at a map. It’s useful, because you can see which roads to take and when to turn etc… You get information that will (usually) take you where you want to go. However, the map is not the real experience you have once on the road.
We all have our own maps, and describe our world with our own words. Which is why by the way, in NLP, we do not focus on WHAT people say, but on HOW they say it. Process rather than content.
PRESUPPOSITION #3: THERE IS NO FAILURE ONLY FEEDBACK
Do you know how many times Edison “failed” before he invented the light bulb? 10,000. Did he despair? Not at all! He was celebrating each time he said. Because each time, he got one more way how NOT to do it.
We can decide to see any experience as a failure, or just as feedback on how to improve next time (to see the experience as a failure is using one map, as a feedback is using another map).
PRESUPPOSITION #4: THERE ARE NO UNRESOURCEFUL PEOPLE ONLY UNRESOURCEFUL STATES
Everyone has the ability to succeed, and there is no limit to people’s ability to learn, it all depends on the state we are in.
Think about it for a minute: when you’re on top of the world, insanely happy and positive, do you feel confident that you can tackle any challenge coming your way?
PRESUPPOSITION #5: RESPECT THE OTHER PERSON MODEL OF THE WORLD
In their model, other people’s world does make sense. To be heard, you have to enter THEIR world. So if you want to have any success dealing with other people, ENTER and RESPECT their world FIRST!
PS: If you work with children, you’ll know that this is particularly true.
PRESUPPOSITION #6: THE PERSON WITH THE MOST FLEXIBILITY OF BEHAVIOUR WILL CONTROL THE SYSTEM
This is also called the ‘Law Of Requisite Variety’.
