Change your business with NLP, from Lindsey Agnes stands as one of my favourite of the moment. It’s a nice little book that you can either read at once, or section by section. Organized in four sections, the author explains how to apply NLP to -transform leaders -transform teams -transform organizations, and last but not least -transform customer service. With the introduction ‘Why is NLP important for business’, Lindsey starts with a small quiz for readers to assess how the book will assist them, before giving high level information on NLP. This book is not going to truly teach you about NLP, rather to show you how NLP is applied to business (or individual) through tips, exercises (of course on the power of thoughts!), information and case studies.
I would actually recommend section I to any entrepreneur starting their own business. It’s full of exercises to help them build up their company message as well as their unique selling point and finding what type of leader they are. Chapter two, ‘A winning state of mind’, starts from the NLP presuppositions to move on to ‘Leading from “effect”‘ versus ‘Leading from “cause”‘ (pg 41-43), a direct application of the NLP concept ‘causes versus effect‘, without forgetting the idea of ‘perception is projection’ and the famous NLP communication model (pg 46, 48). With that chapter, the author emphasizes that we create our reality, and therefore we can create a winning state of mind. Chapter three reviews the NLP concept of modelling, a great touch as this is often omitted in NLP presentation. Modelling excellence is what NLP is simply about, and is how NLP came to be!
With section II, the author moves one step further, looking at transforming teams with NLP. Lindsey first looks at what makes a successful team. She then introduces the definition of meta-programs (describing some important ones when it comes to inter-relationships) and then the notion of values. These concepts will come back later on, while the author looks at the organization level. The author reviews next the importance of creativity (and though the example of Google is not listed, that could have made a nice case study), presenting chunking up and down, and lateral thinking (yes the three steps to go outside of the box, and we all know outside of the box is where… solutions and new business growth ideas are!). The author also reviews a few creativity strategies. I was quite interested by the Metallica one, a new one to my repertory. The section finishes with the importance of ‘courageous conversation’, simply being honest and the positive effect of NLP coaching session, a great tool for people self-development.
With section III, you get it, we go the next level, transforming the organization. The author explains then the importance of change management, and how the linguistics side of NLP (especially the Milton model) is applied onto improving communication. Of course NLP coaching of employees through the changes is a must. At the organization level, the author is clear that it’s actually putting it all together. Setting goals for an organization is similar to setting goals at an individual level, they both need to be specific, positive, realistic, with a vision… Why? simple… the organization goals are to be met by individuals!
Last, with section IV, the author looks at customer service. I would have somewhere introduced this earlier, probably after transforming teams as many information presented there (like rapport, representational system or NLP eye patterns can be useful when transforming teams or organization). At the same time, this is a nice section to conclude the book, focusing on how we are all sales person… something nobody can deny.
Lisa Wake, NLP Principles in practices, is a good addition to this book, both present similar information with a slightly different approach, creating some kind of complementarity.
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