Phase 1: Training and learning

• Teaching beliefs and values and their potential impact on learning

• Mentoring approaches and techniques

• Learning styles - An overview and Different training contexts

• Maintaining trainee and trainer motivation

• Neuro Linguistic Programing

Introduction

The developments that have taken place in the field of technology based training
and distance education have not changed the fact that the instructor or teacher
continues to be one of the most important elements in the process of teaching and
learning. When we think about our own educational experiences, most of us can
recall a particular teacher who was able to make the subject come alive and
inspired our learning without the modern technology available today. "Chalk and
talk"- used to be the norm in teaching method some 25 years ago. It was and still
is a very effective method of teaching. However, there are many methods of
teaching, each with advantages and limitations in terms of helping participants to
learn effectively.

Furthermore, the training environment in which you would be expected to work

differs from a traditional "teaching" environment where the teacher delivers new
knowledge in a school or university set up. Your learners are not "regular"
participants. They are mature adults who may have probably left a formal
classroom a long time ago. One of your initial important tasks may be to bring
them back to a learning environment and at the same time continue to engage
their attention.

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The fact that they have enrolled in the course could mean that they are interested
in learning. On the other hand, it could mean that the company policy requires that
they attend the training. Therefore, it is up to you as the Instructor or Trainer to
make the learning effective and meaningful, as well as a rewarding experience for
both of you.

Teaching and training is only effective if it promotes learning. As instructors we are

expected to be not only highly competent in our subject areas but also have sound
knowledge concerning how participants learn. This reflects a shift away from the
traditional role of the teacher as primarily a provider of subject knowledge to a
facilitator of learning - whereby we manage participant learning, using a variety of
instructional methods, information sources and media. We now have a solid body of
knowledge concerning how we learn, the different processes involved and
significant factors that affect learning. This knowledge can contribute increasingly to
all the aspects of teaching and course planning.

As more and more managers, team leaders, professionals and others are finding
out, there comes a time when we must all function as trainers. Customers demand
it, competition forces it, and employees need it to survive. Simply put, there‟s
greater need for training. This may include people who have never trained before
as well as professional trainers who find their workload and level of competence
stretched by the increased demand and highly technical subject matter.

Unit 1

Teaching beliefs and values and their potential impact on learning

What is learning and how do we learn?

In the most basic sense learning involves acquiring new knowledge, skills and
attitudes that result in some change in our ability to do something. In competence-

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based training we seek to promote a change that results in greater competence to
perform certain desired work functions.

Much has been written about how we learn. A good starting point is to ask yourself
the following question: How have I learnt in different learning situations? You may
probably have thought of some of the following: I attended a course; I did some
reading; I asked a colleague; I thought about it; I tested the information through
trial and error; I planned it; I kept practicing. The above list is not exhaustive, but
you will notice a pattern in your responses. Let us look at these in terms of three
broad headings:

1. Acquiring relevant knowledge

All learning involves the acquiring of some knowledge, though the extent of this
would vary depending on what is to be learned. Learning a language, for
example, requires much knowledge acquisition. However, even in skill-based
activities like playing football, there is still important knowledge to be acquired for
effective performance, for example, the rules of the game. The key process in
knowledge acquisition is memory.

2. Thinking for understanding

However, the mere acquisition of knowledge in itself is often not sufficient for
effective learning. Learners need to make sense of what they have learned and
know when, where and how to use this knowledge. Understanding the information
you have acquired is, therefore, fundamental to effective learning in most cases.

Understanding involves more than memory; it requires us to think about what

we are learning and make sense of it in terms of real life applications. Without

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understanding, much of what we learn through memorization would have little
use and is likely to be soon forgotten.

3. Doing

Learning is often for the practical purpose of developing competence in an activity.

This could be work related, such as learning to use new software; or recreational,
such as learning to play tennis. Learning in these situations involves actually doing
the activities, and improvement in performance requires practice over time. For
example, try to juggle three tennis balls or play a three-chord sequence on a guitar
- assuming, of course, that you do not have these skills already! In real learning
situations, these three components of learning do not occur as separate processes,
but are dynamic and mutually support the overall learning process. For example, as
we acquire more knowledge, think better about what we are doing and practice
more, we tend to become more competent at that activity- whether it is work
related or otherwise. This process is represented in Figure 1.1.

Acknowledgement: Train the Trainer: Training Fundamentals 1.1

Competent performance develops from the acquisition of appropriate knowledge,

good thinking and doing - over time. Different types and levels of competence will

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require more or less 'knowledge', 'thinking' and 'doing'. Effective learners are
competent at acquiring knowledge, developing understanding through good
thinking and applying these in doing.

Factors affecting learners and the learning process

In order for people to learn something well, they must hear it, see it, hear it,
question it, discuss it and do it. They may teach it to someone to solidify their
understanding of the information or skill. Over 24 years ago Confucius declared:

What I hear, I forget.

What I see, I remember.

What I do, I understand.

These 3 simple sentences speak volumes about how important it is for learners to
be actively involved in learning. We can expand this wisdom further into:

When I only hear, I forget.

When I hear and see, I remember a little.

When I hear, see and ask questions and discuss with someone else, I begin to
understand.

When I hear, see, question, discuss and do, I acquire knowledge and skill.

When I teach someone I master what I have learned.

While the above model can be applied to all learning and is a useful guide for
planning instruction, the actual process of learning for participants is influenced by
a great variety of other factors. For example, if you reflect on the factors that have
influenced your learning, you will probably find that it has been affected by:

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 • your motivation

• the relationships you have had with teachers and peers

• your access to resources and time constraints

• your mood and situational factors your prior learning in a given area

• how you were taught

• How relevant you perceive the learning to be.

The above is not a full list of all possible factors that affect learning, but it clearly
shows the range of factors that affect the learning process. Most importantly, it
shows that learning is a social and emotional process, as well as an intellectual one.
For example, participants who have no motivation, or have other things on their
minds, may fail in learning tasks that are well within the scope of their abilities.

7 Principles of Learning

The following are seven important principles of learning that you must constantly
bear in mind in planning and delivering the training sessions you teach.

Principle 1: Utilize and stimulate the senses

Mental activity is stimulated through our five senses. Research suggests the
following as percentages of how much each sense contributes to our learning:

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The greater the combination of our senses that are stimulated in learning, the
more successful the learning is likely to be. For example, it is estimated that we
learn:

10% Of what we read

20% Of what we hear
30% Of what we see
40% Of what we see and hear
50% Of what we discuss
70% Of what we experience
90% Of what we teach

There are several reasons why most adults tend to forget what they hear. The most
interesting one has to do with the rate at which a trainer speaks and the rate at
which the participants listen. Most trainers speak at about 100 to 200 words per
minute. But how many of these words do participants hear? It depends on how well
they are listening. Studies show that participants hear (without thinking) at the rate

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of 400 to 500 words per minute when the lecture exceeds 15 minutes. When they
are listening to a sustained period of time to a trainer who is talking up to a quarter
as fast they are likely to get bored and their minds will wander. Several problems
have been noted with sustained lecturing (Johnson, Johnson, &Smith, 1991)

• Audience attention decreases with each passing minute

• Sustained lecturing appeals only to auditory learners

• It tends to promote lower-level learning of factual information.

• It assumes that all learners need the same information and need it
at the same pace.

It is for this reason that an active approach to learning is advocated. The need to
engage participants in thinking, questioning and doing real work activities is central
to promoting effective learning.

Principle 2: Recognize the learning curve

Learning is a continuous process, but it does not progress at the same rate. For
example, when you start to learn something new, there is often little progress for a
while, and then you are likely to experience a spurt in learning when you seem to
learn quite a lot quickly.

However, you often experience a plateau in your learning when little progress seems
to be made, even though you are working just as hard as before. At this time you are
consolidating what you have already learned. Usually sustained effort is needed to
create a new learning spurt. The tendency for learning to occur in spurts and
plateaus can be represented in the following figure:

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It is important, therefore, to help the participants to become aware of these spurts
and plateaus in their learning. This will help them to maintain their confidence and
motivation when experiencing the same.

Principle 3: Don't abuse the attention span

Attention plays a crucial role in learning. Without good attention, learning is likely to
partial and ineffective. Of course, our ability to maintain attention is greater if we are
motivated. In a typical lesson where the instructor is doing all the talking, our
attention tends to follow the broad path.

The implications of this in teaching are very important. It shows that long duration of
speeches by the instructor, without opportunities for participant‟s participation, is
likely to be ineffective as a method of teaching. This is a typical mistake made by
instructors who think that more input by them equals more learning. This is clearly
shown to be incorrect. Your own experience of being a participant will fully bear this
out.

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Principle 4: Encourage the effective use of memory

As pointed out earlier in this unit, the acquisition of knowledge is a key component of
effective learning. We need both to memorize and understand knowledge. In this
section we will focus on how memory works, the problem of forgetting and the
implications for how we teach.

How memory works

It is useful to think of our memory systems as possessing two interrelated

components:

1. A short-term memory system (STM), which can only cope with approximately
seven bits of information at one go.
2. A long term memory system (LTM), which has almost an infinite capacity for
storing information. This contains all the information we can recall.

The effective transfer of information from STM to LTM is crucial for the acquisition of
knowledge. In order to achieve this transfer, it is essential that the information
makes sense to the learner (is meaningful); is in manageable chunks (around seven
bits); is organized; and is sufficiently rehearsed (repeated a number of times until
easily recalled).

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 (Image courtesy: drwicked.com)

How forgetting occurs

There are a number of theories concerning forgetting. The most important relating
toour purpose as instructors is that over 60% of factual information will be lost
within 48 hours if there is no subsequent rehearsal or review of what has been
learned. Skills and understanding are much more resistant to forgetting. For
example, once you learn to swim, it is unlikely that you will ever forget how to
swim, even if you do not swim for many years.

The more information is reviewed in the first day or so after it is 'learned', the more
likely is the chance of it becoming established in long term memory.

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Implications for teaching and learning

It is of utmost importance that participants are made aware of these basic principles
of memory.
This will save them from making typical mistake of trying to memorize too much too
quickly. From the point of view of teaching, we must recognize that if we speak for
long periods, there is little likelihood that much information will actually be
memorized. It is important to keep information well organized and allow participants
time to digest the content, either through question an answer sessions or activities.

Principle 5: Try to motivate participants in their learning

Motivation is crucial for effective learning. Participants can learn effectively and
independently when they are interested in what they are learning. However, much of
classroom learning is often perceived as uninteresting, which make the learning
process more difficult.
Making learning more interesting, meaningful and active is a real challenge to
instructors. In fact, this is a major purpose behind the production of this manual.

Principle 6: Accommodate different learning styles

There is a body of evidence to suggest that, as individuals, we have our own

characteristic ways of processing information, feeling and behaving in learning
situations. In basic terms this means that while all of us learn through acquiring
knowledge, thinking and doing, we have different approaches and preferences in
terms of how we do these activities.

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One area of research has shown that there can be significant differences in the ways
in which people approach a learning task. For example, some people will try to get an
overall picture or understanding of the task before they focus on more specific details
and linkages. In contrast, other people will approach the task in a more sequential
manner, making linkages gradually and methodically, and only building up to an
understanding of the overall task much later in the learning process. The most
effective learners seem to be able to adopt both of these styles simultaneously and in
a versatile manner.

Another main area of research in this field has identified preferences in terms of
learning modality. Some people clearly have preferences in terms of using the
following sensory modalities in learning:

Visual seeing pictures, words, diagrams

Auditory listening to explanations
Kinesthetic actually doing the activity
There are important implications in different learning styles and modality preferences
for the ways in which we teach. These differences clearly suggest the need for
learning to involve the range of senses and provide many different ways in which
learners can go about their learning. Of course, it is not possible for instructors to
cater for all preferences all the time. However, it serves as a reminder to use a range
of instruction methods and provide a variety of learning sources for participants
whenever possible.

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Principle 7: Ensure effective feedback in the learning process

Feedback is crucial to effective learning in the following important ways:

 Feedback identifies the present state of learning.

 Feedback highlights what needs to be learned and suggests how to proceed
with such learning.
 Feedback monitors progress in learning, helping to diagnose problems quickly
and find effective solutions.
 Feedback provides positive reinforcement for learning
achievements.

Many participants suffer from frustration and may lose self-esteem if they find that
they are not succeeding in learning a particular subject or skill. Very often they lack a
prior competence or are employing incorrect technique. Without skilful feedback and
guidance from the instructor, many participants may lose motivation and fail in their
learning.

Key tips in giving feedback

Give feedback sooner, rather than later.

It is most useful to provide feedback as soon as possible. This enables participants to

make any necessary changes in their learning plan. In addition, they are more likely
to see the importance of the feedback and make the necessary connections to what
they have been doing.

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Incorporate the positive (where possible).

Sometimes the feedback we have to give participants will not be positive. If, for
example, they have not complied with course requirements, or have seriously
misunderstood a key issue, then what we have to say to them will naturally contain
many negative points.
However, in most cases, we should also be able to offer participants something
positive in our feedback, providing, of course, they are willing to make the necessary
effort from their side.

What we say and how we say it will have a lasting impact on our participants. Think
carefully about your tone of voice and body language in giving feedback. In most
cases, we are seeking to build effective rapport at the same time as we are trying to
provide feedback.

Use feedback as a two-way process.

Use feedback as a two-way activity. Encourage participants to articulate their

concerns. The more you understand their difficulties in learning, the greater is the
chance that you will be able to teach them effectively and provide the right feedback
in the best manner.

Unit 2

Mentoring approaches and techniques

Learning theory is a major field of study with an extensive body of knowledge. The
theory is based on sound principles. Because of this immense body of work, trainers
don‟t have to worry about research and theory. We can feel safe in simply applying

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the principles. Let us look at 16 learning principles– seven that come from adult
learning theory and nine that are basic principles of how people learn:

• Adults learn by doing.

• Use realistic examples.

• Adults relate their learning to what they already know.

• Conduct the training in an informal environment.

• Variety is the spice of life.

• Remove the fear factor.

• Serve as the facilitators of the learning process.

• Inform learners of the learning process.

• Inform the learners of the learning objectives.

• Practice makes perfect.

• Guide and prompt; do not tell.

• Give feedback.

• Apply transfer of training.

• Relate all activities to the learning objectives.

• Make a good first impression.

• Show enthusiasm.

• Use repetition.

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 (The First Time Trainer, Tom W Goad)

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHILDREN AND ADULTS AS LEARNERS:

Please watch the video on: Comparison – Pedagogy and Andragogy.

Probably the single most important concern for the trainer of adult learners is a
thorough understanding of the learner. Through such an understanding it is
possible to direct your teaching to the specific needs and interest of the adult.

Characteristic #1

The adult learner is primarily independent/self-directed in what he/she learns.

Implications for Teaching:

Try not to treat the adult like a child. Introduce yourself to the group and have
them introduce themselves. Use name tags and try to call the adults by name.
Make sure you allow ample time for discussion. Don‟t assume that you‟re the only
one with the answer – try having the adults in the group also provide answers to
each other. Handouts and materials that you provide during your teaching can help
the adults learn on their own after your session is over. When the adult is learning
on his own he can use the speed or rate of learning that best fits his own learning
style. Different learners learn at different rates.

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Characteristic #2

The adult learner has considerable experience to draw upon.

Implications for Teaching:

Provide opportunities for the adults to work together and share their ideas/
experiences in small groups. Present some information and ask the adults what
experience they have had in the past with the topic. Ask the adults to suggest
solutions to problems/questions from the experiences they have had. Each learner‟s
experience is unique and different. Sometimes it may also be a barrier – bad
experiences may make it more difficult to teach an adult. Try and understand the
experiences of your learners.

Characteristic #3

The adult learner is most apt to be interested in topics that relate to the
developmental stage of their life.

Implications for Teaching:

Don‟t assume that young adults and older adults are interested in the same things.
When you organize small groups for discussion, try organizing them according to
their stage in life – adults who are beginning their career in one group, those in
mid-career in another group, and those who are well established in their career in
another group. Provide opportunities for the learners to talk about why an
idea/concept is or is not important to them. Try to hear from all the adults in the
group – don‟t just hear from a few of the more vocal ones.

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Characteristic #4

The adult learner is most interested in information and ideas that solves problems
that they are presently faced with.

Implications for Teaching:

Try to make your presentations problem-based rather than just focusing on

theinformation. Start your presentation by identifying the problems that you will be
helping the learnersto solve. Provide opportunities for questions from the adults
and urge them to describe their own specific situation along with the problems that
they face. Try to focus your instruction on responding to the problems that they
identify.

Characteristic #5

The adult learner is most interested in information that can be immediately applied.

Implications for Teaching:

Try to focus on ideas that the adults can put to use immediately after your teaching
is finished. Ask the adults how they will be using, making application of, the ideas
and information presented. If the adults are not able to provide examples of how
they will be using the information, try to find out why. Do they understand your
information? Is your information not applicable to them? Are they unsure of what
application opportunities they have?

Characteristic #6

The adult learner is motivated from with him/herself.

Implications for Training:

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Offering rewards for learning usually doesn‟t work very well with the adult learner.
You must appeal to the learner at an adult level. Try and find out what the adult
places value on. Recognize and respect those things that the adult values. Let the
adult know that you are concerned with those things that he/she values. And then,
be really concerned.

Adults want to be involved in whatever it is they do, particularly when learning

something new. Don‟t demonstrate; let the adult learner do it. Use plenty of
examples and keep them realistic and relevant to learners. Adults use familiar
frames of reference to enhance their learning. Knowing their backgrounds and
experiences will help immensely. Adults have plenty of experiences with some
being more prevalent than others. It is important to make everyone feel at ease at
the beginning of the session. It is equally important to change the pace and
technique in training from time to time. Use different methods and audio-visuals.
Bring in other people or change the setting.

Multimodality approaches in training: Show a video on ethics, followed by an open

discussion. Have learners summarize by writing out the key points that they have
learned.

Understanding Training Techniques:

One of the most pertinent questions for a trainer is which method or technique will
best achieve the learning objectives of the training program? In all probability this
will depend on various factors:

• The learning outcome

• Different learning styles

• Expectations of the trainees

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 • Size of the training group

Training Methods:

Method Advantages Drawbacks

Trainer/ Presenter/ Keeps groups Can be dull if used too

Lecturer together and on the long without learner
same point. participation.
Time control is Difficult to gauge if
easier. learning is taking place.
Useful for large Retention is limited.
group size.
Structures Exercise/ Aids retention. Requires preparation time.
Role play Allows practice of May not be suitable for
new skills in a various levels.
controlled Needs time for completion
environment. and feedback.
Learners are actively
involved.
Individual Reading Saves time. Learners may lose interest
assignment Materials can be if it‟s too long.
reused later. Learners‟ read at various
Consistency of paces.
information. Difficult to gauge learning
outcome.

Guided Group Keeps learners Learning points can be

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discussion interested and lost.
involved. Can be dominated by a
Resources can be few.
shared Controlling time may
Learning can be become a problem.
observed.
Case Study Learners are actively Information has to be
involved. precise and up to date.
Can stimulate Requires a lot of time.
performance.
Learning can be
observed.
Demonstration Helps in Has to be relevant and
understanding and accurate.
retention. Written models may
Stimulates learners‟ require a lot of preparation
interest. time.
Acts as a model.
All learners may not be
able to follow the trainers
pace of demonstration.

However, some popular techniques are:

• Role Play

Using a role play activity allows participants to experience real life situations
in a risk free environment. Role plays are a versatile learning tool that can be
used in many different ways. The normal way is to get participants to work in

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 pairs. Each person is assigned a „role‟ to play. These roles can be scripted or
can be made up on the spot. Participants should be explained clearly what
their roles are and what is expected of them. Time should be allotted for
practice and they should be told the time allotted for the actual exercise. The
role play should be followed by a feedback session. On the positive side, role
play allows people to experience real world situations. The downside is
thatsometimes it is very difficult to get reluctant or shy people to participate
enthusiastically. Role plays also are time consuming.

• Case Studies

Case studies are presentations of specific incidents usually with relevant

background information. These are incidents that trainees may have faced in
the past and might have to face in the future. It is up to the trainer to select
cases that are relevant to the training situation and at the same time easy to
understand with fewer complications. The trainees need to have a personal
copy of the case as reference during discussion. The task should be clearly
explained and should conclude with a feedback session. Case studies can be
written to suit the learning situation, they also emulate reality and therefore
trainees can easily relate to them. The disadvantage is however that case
studies are two dimensional and there is always a chance of either not giving
enough details or giving too much of it.

• Syndicate Groups

This is a favorite activity with trainers. Most training sessions have trainees
forming groups and discussing points. A syndicate group is a sub group of
the main group. While grouping participants one can divide them at random,
or they can self select or preselect a group. Syndicate group activities help in
a lot of interaction among group members and keep the groups energized.

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 There is scope for a rich exchange of opinions, views and experiences.
However, it can be monotonous if overused and some may not like to move
around the room or be reluctant to express themselves and can remain
isolated.

• Ideas Shower

Ideas shower starts with brainstorming of ideas from the trainees related to
the problem under discussion. It is done to consider different aspects of the
situation. It acts as a starting point for the group‟s discussion. However it is
important to see that it does not become chaotic. It is a quick method for
generating ideas from a group and can be made engaging and fun.

• Simulations

Simulation is a training activity that includes a learning experience that has a

real life angle to it. The learning comes from the trainee‟s own experiences.
The learning outcomes have to be made clear and have roles and the context
clearly defined. Again the trainer has to keep in mind the fact that it requires
a lot of time.

• Games

Games need people to conform to rules, have a competitive element and

therefore have winners. People learn best when they realize they are not
learning. Games help to create that environment. However it is important to
give clear instructions regarding the learning outcome and the rules of the
game. Games ensure that all the trainees are engaged and involved. It is
important to have a good mix of both physical games and some milder ones
to suit all types of people in the training session.

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Unit 3

Learning styles - An overview and Different training contexts

Learning styles:

Adult learners come in different styles. David Kolb, an expert on learning styles,
identifies 4 styles, accommodating, diverging, assimilating, and converging.

Accommodators like to solve problems by careful experimentation, Divergers solve

problems by taking risks preferring concrete experiences in which they take actions,
Assimilators like to solve problems by inductive reasoning preferring to be guided to
the right answer, Convergers like to figure things out through their own reasoning
process. Because of these different approaches to learning, Kolb would urge
trainers to provide some way for learning of each style to engage the trainees.

From work of others a popular model of learning styles has emerged that is
concerned with how people take in information. Some adults learn best by seeing
information, they are visual learners. High on their preference list are videos,
slides, demonstrations. Others are auditory learners who rely on their ability to
listen and remember. High on their preference list are lectures, discussions,
question answer sessions. On the other hand Kinesthetic learners learn mainly by
direct involvement in activity. High on their preference list are experiential activities
such as role plays and group exercises.

Of course most participants are not exclusively one kind of learner. According to
Grinder (1991) in every group of 30 people an average of 22 are able to learn
effectively as long as the trainer is able to blend visual, auditory and kinesthetic
activities. The remaining 8 prefer one of the modalities so strongly that they
struggle to understand unless presented in their mode. Instruction therefore should
be multi-sensory and varied.

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 To summarize watch the presentation: “Different Learning Styles”.

Please watch the video on “Different Learning Styles”.

• An overview and Different training contexts:

Major training categories:

Executive Development – Includes leadership training, advanced executive

degree programs, mentoring programs, rotations through various divisions of the
organization, special assignments, deals with highest level management leadership
skills such as management change and strategic decision making; aimed at
corporate-level management.

Management development – Includes strategic planning skills, leadership,

networking with other managers, degree programs, management of change, time
management, project management, coaching, goal setting, and mentoring.

Supervisory development – Includes basic interpersonal communication skills,

how to make decisions, how to give orders, coaching employees, setting objectives,
time management and other basic skills that newly promoted supervisors might
need.

Professional development – covers a wide range of training, such as

interpersonal communication skills, stress management, computer literacy and
specific discipline-related skills (finance, purchasing, engineering, scientific; a broad
area of training covering basic, advanced and refresher training.

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Technical skills – It continues as one of the largest growth areas because of ever
evolving technology. Training associated with getting work accomplished; includes
computer skills, manufacturing processes, using particular systems and equipment,
carrying out policies and procedures.

Literacy skills - includes the fundamental skills needed to be able to read, write,
speak and compute and make decisions in entry level jobs within an organization;
process of making employees functionally literate as well as training those who are
already literate to move up to the next level.

Marketing and sales – this ranges from training new sales representatives to
providing information on new products, to planning and research skills for
marketing managers; involves the motivational aspects of marketing and
communication skills required.

Safety, health and workplace laws- this is designed to ensure a safe, healthy
workplace while reducing costs related to maintaining safety health and dealing
with legal issues; increasingly includes aspects of job stress and wellness training
for a healthier lifestyle; includes drug and substance abuse training and training in
legal matters related to the workplace such as sexual harassment prevention and
other requirements that must be complied with.

Orientation – this is how new employees get off to a good start; ranges from
basics about the workplace to a detailed indoctrination on the company‟s culture.

Organization development- this includes training conducted in relation to the

interventions to manage organization change, such as quality assurance programs,
customer service and team building.

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Unit 4

Maintaining trainee and trainer motivation

Let us look at what is motivation?

People learn for a reason. It may be positive or negative for pleasure or survival.
People are motivated to learn and motivation plays a major role in the training and
learning process. At a basic level motivation to work may arise from the need to
meet food and rent costs later it changes to recognition and dreams of making it to
the top.

Nearly all the conscious behavior of human being is motivated. The internal needs
and drives lead to tensions, which in turn result into actions. The need for food
results into hunger and hence a person is motivated to eat.

Motivation can be defined in a number of ways. Generally, it is defined as a driving

force that initiates and directs behavior. In other words, motivation is a kind of
internal energy which drives a person to do something in order to achieve
something. It is a temporal or dynamic state within a person which is not concerned
with his/her personality. There are different types of motivation such as
achievement motivation, affiliation motivation, competence motivation, power
motivation, and attitude motivation.

There are many theories about what motivates people. In reality, you are
motivated by both internal and external factors, as there are always mixtures of
reasons why you do, achieve, behave, learn and react. Personality and self-concept
often determine whether or not you will be intrinsically or extrinsically motivated. If
you understand the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors,
you will have a greater probability of motivating yourself or others. Every behavior
has an underlying cause, and understanding the cause of behavior and motivating
factors is key to changing or improving outcomes.

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Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic means internal or inside of yourself. When you are intrinsically motivated,
you enjoy an activity, course or skill development solely for the satisfaction of
learning and having fun, and feel determined to strive inwardly in order to be
competent. There is no external inducement when intrinsic motivation is the key to
behavior or outcome.

Examples of Intrinsic Motivation

When you are motivated intrinsically, you have fun and look for skill development
and competency, personal accomplishment and excitement. If you write articles for
the curiosity and fun of learning and sharing information or run because it relieves
stress and makes you feel better or excites you to improve your personal time, you
are intrinsically motivated. Similarly, when you learn a new game and seek to play
it often because it excites you to think differently and work internally to develop
your skills, you are motivated by intrinsic measures.

Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic means external or outside of yourself. This type of motivation is
everywhere and frequently used within society throughout your lifetime. When you
are motivated to behave, achieve, learn or do based on a highly regarded outcome,
rather than for the fun, development or learning provided within an experience, you
are being extrinsically motivated.

Examples of Extrinsic Motivation

Trophies, medals, money, discounts, grades, entrance to programs or schools,
higher commission percentages, new clothes and losing weight are all examples of
extrinsic motivators. In childhood, bribery is used, schools use grades, trophies and
academic recognition based on good behavior, grocers use discount cards and
coupons to save you money while you shop at their store and corporations use
bonuses and commission scales to encourage growth and sales numbers.

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Considerations
The main argument and difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
contends that intrinsic motivation is derived from a self-concept, core beliefs,
internal need and development opposed to extrinsic motivators which can
undermine these motivations. According to Dr. James Gavin, a professor at
Concordia University, motives need to be additive in effect, which means the more
reasons you find to motivate yourself to engage in a behavior, the more likely you
will continue with and persist in these behaviors. External motivators are typically
not addictive.

The differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators primarily lie within the
reason for doing something. In order for you to ultimately change or improve
behavior, you have to understand the reason for the behavior. Intrinsic and
extrinsic factors are important to understanding behaviors, regardless of
differences.

A manager requires creating and maintaining an environment in which individuals

work together in groups towards the accomplishment of common objectives. A
manager cannot do a job without knowing what motivates people. The building of
motivational factors into organizational roles, the staffing of these roles and the
entire process of leading people must be built on knowledge of motivation. It is
necessary to remember that level of motivation varies both between individuals and
within individuals at different times. Today in the increasingly competitive
environment, maintaining a highly motivated workforce is the most challenging
task. The art of motivation starts by learning how to influence the behavior of the
individual. This understanding helps to achieve both, the individual as well as
organizational objectives.

There‟s a direct relationship between motivation and two major trainerrelated

concerns. One is that, the motivated trainers are more successfulin their job. The

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other adult learning theory is founded on concepts of motivation. The learners and
trainers need to be motivated in order to have a successful trainingand for the
trainers to perform well as facilitators along with continually improving
performance. This dual motivation is the best road to success.

Types of Motivation:

(1) Achievement Motivation

It is the drive to pursue and attain goals. An individual with achievement

motivation wishes to achieve objectives and advance up on the ladder of
success. Here, accomplishment is important for its own shake and not for the
rewards that accompany it. It is similar to „Kaizen‟ approach of Japanese
Management.

(2) Affiliation Motivation

It is a drive to relate to people on a social basis. Persons with affiliation

motivation perform work better when they are complimented for their
favorable attitudes and co-operation.

(3) Competence Motivation

It is the drive to be good at something, allowing the individual to perform

high quality work. Competence motivated people seek job mastery, take
pride in developing and using their problem-solving skills and strive to be
creative when confronted with obstacles. They learn from their experience.

Maintaining Trainee motivation

Motivational and inspirational experiences improve trainees' attitudes, confidence

and performance. Motivational methods are wide-ranging, from inspirational quotes

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and poems, to team building games and activities, as ice-breakers, warm-ups and
exercises for conferences, workshops, meetings and events, which in themselves
can often be helpful too.

People often enjoy events which include new non-work activities, especially when
bosses and superiors take part in the same teams as their junior staff, which also
helps cohesiveness and 'can-do' culture. Inspirational quotes, stories and poems all
help with motivation too. Powerful positive imagery stimulates visualization in the
conscious and sub-conscious brain, which encourages self-motivation,
developmental behavior, confidence and belief. Playing games enables people to
experience winning and achieving in a way that their normal work might not. People
become motivated to achieve and do better when they have experienced the
feelings of success and achievement, regardless of context.

Also, using activities and references that take people out of their normal work
environment creates new opportunities for them to experience winning,
achievement, team-working, learning and personal development, in ways that are
often not possible in their usual work context. Experiencing these positive feelings
is vital for the conscious and sub-conscious visualization of success and
achievement. It is also essential for broadening people's horizons, raising their
sights, setting new personal standards and goals, and increasing motivation. The
use of role playing games and role play exercises is an especially effective
motivational and visualization technique, despite people's normal aversion to the
practice.

The trainees need to be tempted before they feel motivated to join and take the
exercise seriously. Listed here, are some ways to motivate them:

• Explain the objectives – don‟t assume they already know.

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 • See the benefits – let them know what‟s in it for them. Explain what they will
derive from it and how they can apply it later.

• Convey enthusiasm – trainees will internalize some of your enthusiasm.

• Connect the present activity to previous activities – it helps them see the
common thread in the program.

• Share personal feelings with trainees – explain why the activity is valuable to
you.

• Express confidence in participants – tell them that you think they are capable
of doing a good job.

(Image courtesy: positivesharing.com)

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Maintaining Trainer Motivation:

• Note down your goals. A major mistake that many people make is that they
have the goals set, in their "mind". What they fail to focus on, is that out of
sight is often out of mind. If you note down all your goals, your "miles to go
before you sleep" are right there in front of you. This will give you the drive
to go on for the day (at the least). Put up notes of your goals on your
refrigerator, near your bed, on your workstation and in your diary! This way,
whenever you are around any of these, you will be reminded of your goals.

• One of the most basic mistakes that many people make is that they focus on
the "bad feeling" that a certain activity gives them. In case of my friend, she
started focusing on the fact that her senior's behavior made her feel really
bad, worthless and like a slave. Don't focus on those feelings. Like the very
popular saying goes, "Don't get mad, get even!" Use the bad feelings and
focus on making them go away. Take it as a challenge. Let the lack of
support or external motivation be the fuel to your fire. Every time you feel
like someone is putting you down, work twice as hard and prove them
wrong!

3. Procrastination is like the kryptonite for your motivation. If you procrastinate

over your work, rest assured that it will not get done. Even if you are not very
fond of the activities that you need to perform, procrastination is not the way to
go. Best thing would be to start and get done with the work at the first instance.
This way it will be out of your way. The longer you "think over it", the more time
you keep it around. So, every time you feel demotivated, start working right
away. Trust me, it worked for my friend it will work for you!

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 4. Who would not like rewards and recognition? Well, it was a rhetorical
question; everyone likes rewards for their hard work. So, every time you
complete a project or a task, give yourself a treat. Be it an hour of shopping at
the mall, or an hour long massage session, treat yourself. This technique goes a
long way in keeping up the motivation. My niece gets a special gift every time
she gets an A at school. This is what makes her keep her grades up for the
subjects she hates as well.

5. Be disciplined. The right amount of nutrition and sleep go a long way in

keeping your mood and motivation in check. While it is important to focus on
having fun, it is also important to keep up to date with your responsibilities. Like
if it is your job to take out the trash, do it. If you don't, the nagging in your
head will come in the way of your motivation about other things. If you spend all
your free time on partying, you will face lack of sleep and your errands will be
undone. Follow the right mix of work and play; it really helps at keeping a
person motivated.

Please watch the video – “Don’t quit”.

Unit 5

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)

The new buzz word in training these days is „NLP‟. In order to understand NLP one
has to take a closer look at the term itself. The approach includes the three most
influential aspects namely, neurology, language and programming. (i) Neurology is
concerned with the human physiology and specifically the nervous system (ii)
through language we express our emotions, opinions and feelings and it helps us

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interact with others and (iii)finally programming determines how we perceive the
world and create our own models. Therefore Neuro Linguistic Programming
describes the relationship between the human mind or neurology and language (or
linguistic) and how this, in turn, influences behavior or programming.

As human beings, we are flooded by millions of inputs from the environment right
from birth. We respond to these inputs through the sense system, namely, our
sight: vision, hearing: audition, touch: tactician, smell: olfaction and taste:
gustation. However, in the process we develop our unique system of filtration. Our
first image or map of the world is based on what we experience in the environment
through the sensorial system and the Neuro map. We then use language to
interpret the first map to assign personal meaning to it and in the process create
our second image or map of the world, this is the linguistic map. This helps leads to
everyday awareness. The third map or programming occurs when we respond
behaviorally as a result of the first two maps.

What is NLP?
NLP is an approach that isused to evaluate and help motivate and train individuals
to move from their present level of achievement to their desired level of
achievement. NLP is a pragmatic approach and a multi-dimensional process. It
helps us to understand the mental and cognitive processes behind individual
behavior. NLP provides individuals‟ with tools and skills to strive towards excellence.
NLP tries to establish a system of beliefs about what are we all about, what
communication is, and how can we bring changes in our lives. It is also about
personal discovery, creating own identity and goals. It extends to understanding
and relating to the higher 'spiritual' side of our being and going beyond to reach the
family, community and the world at large. NLP is not only about competence and
excellence but also about wisdom and vision.

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The theories of NLP are based on certain presuppositions. Firstly, as human beings,
we can only perceive what reality is but it is not possible for us to know reality. Our
responses to the environment and our experiences are primarily sensorial. This is
our 'neuro-linguistic' maps of reality that isnot reality itself. The way we filter and
perceive information absorbed through our five senses from the world, helps us to
form our unique mental maps of the world. The map determines our behavior and
how we interpret those behaviors. It is our map of reality that limits us or
empowers us, not reality itself. Secondly, there is a systematic process that binds
the interactions within a human being and between human beings and their
environment is systemic. Ecology of complex systems and sub-systems within
ourselves, the society and the universe interact with and mutually influence each
other. It is not possible to completely isolate any part from the rest of the system.
These systems work on a self-organizing principle and naturally seek a state of
balance or homeostasis.

As human beings, it is our endeavor to create the richest map and at the same time
respecting the systemic nature and ecology of ourselves and the world we live in.
The people who are most effective are the ones who have a map of the world that
allows them to perceive the greatest number of available choices and perspectives.
NLP is a way of enriching the choices available in the world around us. Excellence is
a result of having many choices, while wisdom comes from having multiple
perspectives.

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(Image source: http://www.nlpacademy.co.uk)

A Brief History
In the early 1970‟s Richard Bandler and his professor, John Grinder of California,
USA, wanted to develop models of human behavior to understand why certain
people seemed to be excellent at what they did, while others found the same tasks
challenging or nearly impossible to do. Bandler was studying at the University of
Santa Cruz, where he met John Grinder, an assistant professor of linguistics. They
began to take a similar curiosity in what differentiated excellent therapists from
others. Their initial study of the work of Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt therapy,
and Virginia Satir, the family therapist, resulted in two volumes titled The Structure
of Magic, which describes language patterns that the authors identified as
characteristic of excellent therapists.

Inspired by pioneers in fields of therapy and personal growth and development,

Bandler and Grinder began to develop systematic procedures and theories that
formed the basis of NLP. Their goal was to develop models of how it worked that
these people got the results they wanted. They sought to identify and model the
patterns that produced these results and then to teach these models to others.
These three gifted therapists were quite different personalities, yet Grinder and

38
Bandler discovered some underlying patterns that were quite similar. These
patterns became the underlying structure of NLP.

A question often asked of NLP is that of whether it has a theory and whether it has
empirical research to support it? The answer to both is probably a „no‟. As noted
above, authors in the field emphasize pragmatism, and have seldom shown interest
in articulating NLP as a theory. Because NLP has always aimed to model `what
works‟, one can find evidence within its practices of an eclectic approach that draws
from (among other things) cognitive-behavioral approaches, Gestalt therapy,
hypnotherapy, family therapy, and brief therapy.

Principles of NLP
NLP is based on four operational principles:

1. Understand what outcome you want to achieve. It is important to have specific

outcomes. Many people are not aware of the outcomes and wander randomly
through life.
2. Have effective sensory awareness. In order to achieve outcomes, it is
necessary to act and speak in certain ways.
3. Beflexible in behavior. If it is not working it is important to do something
different. The idea is to vary your behavior until you get the results you want.
4. Take immediate action. It is also important to take action, since nothing ever
happens until someone takes the initiative.

Principle 1 - Achieving Outcomes

Without clear goals and objectives, it is difficult to achieve anything in life. People
without focus do not have conscious outcomes. Many people have no idea as to
what they want but know what they don't want. Their life is based on keeping at

39
bay things they don't want. NLP is all about working towards what you want rather
than what you do not want. Without outcomes life becomes a process of wandering
aimlessly like a ship without radar. Once an outcome is determined and the goal is
set you can begin to focus on reaching that goal.

NLP lists certain well-formed conditions that outcomes should meet.

a) The outcome or goal needs to be clearly stated in positive terms.

Outcomes must be realistic and capable of being satisfied.
b) The outcome must be able to be tested and demonstrable in sensory
experience. There must be an evidence procedure. With an evidence
procedure for the outcome it is possible to determine whether or not you are
making progress towards achieving the outcome.
c) The desired state must be sensory specific. You must be able to
linguistically express what you would look like, sound like and feel like if you
reach your goal.
d) The outcome or desired state must be initiated and maintained by the
individual. This places the responsibility for achieving the outcome with the
individual and not with someone else. It is important to have an outcome in
which you can change yourself or your behavior so as to bring about a
change in someone else.
e) The outcome must be contextualized. This means that outcomes must not
be stated as universals. You must never want something either 'all the time'
or 'never', but only under specific circumstances. In NLP the goal is to make
the choices or responses available in the appropriate circumstances.
f) The desired outcome must preserve any positive product of the present
state. If this is not the case, then symptom substitution may occur.

40
 g) The outcome or desired state must be ecologically sound. You should
consider the consequences for yourself and for other people and not pursue
outcomes that lead to harm to yourself or other people.

Principle 2 - Sensory Awareness

Once you know your outcome you must next have sufficient sensory awareness to
know if you are moving towards it or not. NLP teaches the ability to calibrate or
'read' people. This involves the ability to interpret changes in muscle tone, skin
colour and shininess, lower lip size and breathing rate and location. The NLP
practitioner uses these and other indications to determine what effect they are
having on other people. This information serves as feedback as to whether the
other person is in the desired state.

Principle 3 - Changing Behavior

The third operational principle of NLP is to contrast your behavior until you get the
desiredresponse.

If what you are doing isn't working, then you need to do something else. You
should use your sensory acuity to determine if what you are doing is leading you in
the desired direction or not. If what you are doing is leading towards your outcome,
then you should continue. If, on the other hand, what you are doing is leading away
from your goals, then you should do something else.

Principle 4 - Time for Action

The fourth and final operational principle of NLP is to take action now. There is no
place for complacency or procrastination. NLP is about taking action now to change
behavior for you and for others, which will affect the present and the future. So the
action has to be taken here and now and not delayed.

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Presupposition
There are certain presuppositions underlying NLP. These are things that are
presupposed in effective communication. Mentioned below are the detailed
explanations of each presupposition.

• The response determines the meaning of communication. In communication

it is usually assumed that you are transferring information to another person.
You have information that holds a particular 'meaning' to the other person
and you expect that the other person will get exactly what it is meant to
convey.

Frequently a person assumes that if they 'say what they mean to say‟; their
responsibility for the communication is over. Effective communicators realize
that their responsibility doesn't end when they finish talking. They realize
that, for practical purposes, what they communicate is what the other person
thinks they say and not what they intend to say. Often the two are quite
different.

In communication it is important what the other person thinks you say and
how they respond. This requires that the person pays attention to the
response they are getting. If it is not the response they want, then they need
to vary their own communication until they get the desired response.

There are several major sources of 'misunderstanding' in communication. The

first source arises from the fact that each person has a different life
experience associated with each word in the language. Frequently, what one
person means by a word (their complex equivalence for that word) may be

42
 something different from what another person means by it. The second
misunderstanding arises from the failure to realize that a person's tone of
voice and facial expression also communicate information, and that the other
person may respond to these as much as they do to what is said. As the old
saying goes: 'Actions speak louder than words‟, and in NLP people are
trained that when the two are in conflict, the person should pay more
attention to the actions.

• Mind and body are parts of the same cybernetic system (cybernetics is the
science of systems and controls in animals, including humans, and
machines) and affect each other. In any cybernetic system the element or
person in the system with the widest range of behaviors or variability of
choice will control the system. Mind and body are parts of the same
cybernetic system and affect each other. There is no separate 'mind' and no
separate 'body'. Both words refer to aspects of the same 'whole' or 'gestalt',
they act as one and they influence each other in such a way that there is no
separation.

Anything that happens in one part of a cybernetic system, such as a human

being, will affect all other parts of that system. This means that the way a
person thinks affects how they feel and that the condition of their physical
body affects how they think. A person's perceptual input, internal thought
process, emotional process, physiological response and behavioral output all
occur both simultaneously and through time.

In practical terms, this means that a person can change the way they think
either by directly changing how they think or by changing their physiology or
other feelings. Likewise, a person can change their physiology or their

43
 emotions by changing how they think. One important corollary of this, which
will be explored later, is the importance of visualization and mental rehearsal
in improving the conduct of any activity.

• Behavior leads to adaptation. The current behavior of a person represents

the best available choice the individual has at that time. Behavior is to be
evaluated and appreciated or changed as appropriate in the presented
context. The best information about people can be obtained or observed from
their behavior. Control in human systems refers to the ability to influence the
quality of a person's own and other people's experience in the moment and
through time.

The person with the greatest flexibility of behavior - that is, the number of
ways of interacting - will control the system. Choice is always preferable to
no choice, and more choice is always preferable to less choice. This also
relates to the third general principle of NLP, mentioned previously. This
principle is that a person needs to vary their behavior until they get their
desired outcome. If what you are doing is not working, change the behavior
and do something else. Anything else is better than continuing with what
doesn't work. Keep varying your behavior until you find something that
works.

• Experience is represented by language. Language is at a third semantic level.

First is the stimulus coming from the word? Second is the person's
representation of experience of that stimulus. Third is the person's
description of that experience through language. Language is not experience
but a representation of it. Words are merely like arbitrary tokens used to
represent things the person sees, hears or feels. People who speak other

44
 languages use different words to represent the same things that English
speakers see, hear or feel. Also, since each person has a unique set of things
that they have seen, heard and felt in their lives, their words have different
meanings from each of them.

People are able to communicate effectively to the degree that these

meanings are similar. When they are too dissimilar, problems in
communication begin to arise.

• The map and the territory are not the same. Good communicators realize
that the representations they use to organize their experience of the world
('map') are not the world ('territory').

It is important to distinguish between several semantic levels. First, there is

the world. Second, comes the person's experience of the world. This
experience is the person's 'map' or 'model' of the world and is different for
each person. Every individual creates a unique model of the world and thus
lives in a somewhat different reality from everyone else. You do not operate
directly on the world but on your experience of it. This experience may or
may not be correct. Your experience may have a similar structure to the
world it is correct and this accounts for its usefulness.

A person's experience, map, model or representation of the world determines

how they will perceive the world and what choices they will see as available
to them. Many NLP techniques involve you changing your representation of
the world to make it more useful and to bring it more into line with the way
the world actually is.

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• People have all the resources they need to make the changes they want. It
is useful to make a distinction between behavior and self. Behavior is geared
towards adaptation. A person's behavior is determined by the context in
which that behavior originates.

Your reality is defined by your perceptions of the world. The behavior a

person exhibits is appropriate to their reality. All of a person's behavior,
whether good or bad, is an adaptation. Everything is useful in some context.
All behavior is or was adaptive, given the context in which it was learned. In
another context it may not be appropriate. People need to realize this and
change their behavior when it is appropriate to do so.

• Behind every behavior is a positive intent. A person makes the best choice
available to them at any moment in time, given which the person is and
based on all their life experiences and the choices they are aware of. If
offered a better choice they will take it.

In order to change someone's inappropriate behavior it is necessary to give

them other choices. Once this is done they will behave accordingly. NLP has
techniques for providing these additional choices. Also, in NLP we never take
away choices. We only provide more choices and explicitly contextualize the
existing choices.

• People have all they need to make desired changes. The task is to locate or
access those resources and to make them available in the appropriate
context. NLP provides techniques to accomplish this task.

46
 What this means in practice is that people don‟t need to spend time trying to
gain insight into their problems or to develop resources to deal with their
problems. They already have all the resources they need to deal with it. All
that is necessary is to access these resources and transfer them to the
current time frame.

• It is important to note that failure is another form of feedback. It is more

valuable for a person to view their experience in terms of a learning frame
than in terms of a failure frame. If a person doesn't succeed in something,
that doesn't mean they have failed. It just means that they have discovered
one way not to do that particular thing. The person then needs to alter their
behavior until they find a way to succeed.

(Source: adapted from http://www.businessballs.com)

The NLP Vocabulary

NLP consists of a set of powerful techniques to effect change. Some of these
techniques are as follows, with their definitions:

Anchoring: It is the process of associating an internal response with some external

stimuli, so that the response may be reassessed.
Anchors: These may be natural or consciously set up.
Stacking anchors: It is the process of associating a number of events with one
specific anchor. This will strengthen the intensity of the subject's response to a
specific anchor.
Collapsing anchors: It is the process of triggering two incompatible responses at
the same time in order to neutralize a negative state.

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Chaining anchors: It is the process by which a series of anchors is created to lead
to a desired state from an undesired state through a series of intermediate states.
Calibration: The process of reading a subject's internal responses in an ongoing
interaction by pairing them with observable behavioral cues.
Change history: A process of guiding a subject to re-experience a series of past
situations by the use of selective anchoring.
Reframing: A process used to look at a problematic behavior and separate it from
the positive intention to the internal part responsible for that behavior and also
offering new choices.
Associated state: Being fully present in a state so as to experience it
kinesthetically.
Dissociated state: This means the person recreates a past experience from the
perspective of an onlooker.
Double kinesthetic dissociation: The process of watching yourself watching a
film of a past experience. This is used in cases of phobias and extreme psychic
trauma.
Strategy: A set of explicit mental and behavioral steps used to achieve a specific
outcome. This is represented by a specific sequence of representational systems
used to carry out the specific steps.
Sub modalities: The sub-classification of external experience that breaks it down
into its components of a picture, sound or feeling.
Rapport: The process of establishing a relationship with a subject that is
harmonious based on understanding and mutual confidence.

Applications of NLP
NLP has various applications - both personal and professional.

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NLP in life
Personally NLP helps you to take control of your thoughts, emotions and behaviors.
It helps you stay motivated. NLP also helps identify life goals, set objectives clearly
and work towards achieving the desired outcome. This in turn helps align values
around finance, career, health, relationships and family for greater success. NLPis
also about having several choices therefore do not limit decisions and beliefs. Since
NLP helps release negative emotions and experiences from the past, it creates a
desired self-image. This in turn attracts right people which lead to better rapport.
NLP can therefore help establish healthier relationships and marriages. NLP helps
take control of one‟s emotional state and in the process reduce stress, anxieties and
phobias. It heals mind and body and leads to improved state of being.

Getting What You Want More Easily With NLP:

Think of a specific goal you want to achieve.

Maybe it's to go back to school, learn a new skill, lose weight, get a new job, start a
family, get a raise, win a big contract, or buy an expensive car. Just make it
something specific and something you really want.

Write it down.

Now, READ the below instructions. Then, ACT on the instructions (in that order):

1. Close your eyes, and name the goal. "I want a new job."
2. Become aware of the feelings associated with the goal. If you picked a real goal,
there will probably be more than one.
3. Write down the words that describe all of the "feelings" - the actual words that
come to your mind.

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4. Now, draw a line to start a new section on your paper.
5. Next, think of a goal you achieved in the past, that you are proud about.
6. Write it down, along with how you felt about it. “I got a good grade, and it felt
great. My teacher felt I deserved it, and we had to toil harder to make it happen.
And in the end, it felt great to have someone believe in me that much”.
7. Now, read the two descriptions out loud. What do you notice about the
difference?
Most of us have not recognized how much subtle "inside talk" goes on in our mind
that is unsupportive, demotivating or negative. It keeps playing inside our head like
a stuck record without us even realizing it.
The important question is: are the voices cheering you, motivating you,
encouraging you or are they like the nay-sayers, ne'er do-wells, critical parents who
shut down the positive messages?

NLP at work

NLP concepts and processes are being used in areas as diverse as developing
business plans and getting clarification of client needs-to-modeling successful
business leaders to be able to teach their methods to others. Neuro-Linguistic
Programming offers tools to the business world that can increase the effectiveness,
health and communication skills of people who need to work together. By getting a
"well-formed outcome" statement about the business goals and plans of the
organization, effective business strategies can be designed and created or modeled
from the people or project solutions that have been successful in the past. Effective
communication skills can help managers more clearly interact with upper
management and communicate with and inspire that manager's employees. By
upgrading employees' interpersonal awareness and communication skills, team

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projects can proceed more elegantly and with less stress. Salary reviews can
become deeply meaningful strategy, goals clarification and feedback sessions.

Listed below are a few contexts in which NLP principles are at work:

A manager tailors her approach to staff development and motivation to the

individual thinking patterns of each staff member. In a performance review, she
identifies the employee‟s motivation strategy, i.e. how the employee motivates
him/herself, and incorporates this naturally into the employee‟s development plan.
In her next meeting, she uses conflict resolution techniques to resolve differences
between three employees working on the same project.

A team member presents a proposal in a planning meeting. He begins by gaining

rapport and accord in the group. He then incorporates highly valued criteria
representing each faction in the team into the design and communication of his
idea. This makes the idea more accessible to each participant in the meeting, and
therefore more persuasive.

A saleswoman uses precision questioning to understand how her customer has been
using the product she represents. She teaches the customer how to make the
product work more effectively and go farther. In the process of gathering
information she uncovers another area in which her products may be able to help
the customer.

A customer service representative handles a call from an irate customer. She

establishes rapport with the customer, gently leads him into a calmer state of mind,
pinpoints the problem, and solves it. After the grateful customer hangs up, she
takes a moment or two to shift herself into a more resourceful state of mind.

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An internal consultant is part of an international project. He notices cross-cultural
communication problems developing between project team members. Reading their
non-verbal cues, he “translates” each group‟s intentions to the other group and
prevents delays in the project due to misunderstandings.

What is there for me as a trainer?

NLP can be used as a tool and gain insight into

• Becoming very effective and influential communicators
• Feeling more in charge of oneself rather than circumstances
• Developing and becoming more effective in their personal and working lives.

NLP is a way of understanding how each of us experiences life, of understanding

ourselves and others in a deeper way.

NLP is what you make it

It depends on what and how you want to use it:
• as part of a therapeutic process
• to ethically or unethically sell something
• to grow your business or develop your managerial abilities
• to influence people
• to empower people with whom you live or work
• to be better in your sport
• to empower your children and help them believe in themselves
• to train soldiers to fire guns or missiles
• to help people overcome fears and phobias
• to improve your results as an educator/ trainer

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 • to contribute to your community
• to improve your sporting skills
• to become better friends with yourself - or others

Please watch the video on NLP.

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