Integrity With your Word

This past Friday, I sat in an introduction to NLP and how to get your goals, conducted by another NLP Trainer. He was promoted as a "Master" Trainer. I must tell you that I was very disappointed! For the first time, I fully understood why some people have an opinion that NLP is not good.

In my NLP career, I was taught that with your language you could very easily create states in the listener. The language you choose will create either negative, unhappy states, or you can use language that is just as effective in communicating just what you want with positive, uplifting, empowering states.

In fact the trainers that certified me as a NLP Trainer were very direct in saying that if any of the students intentionally created 'dark', negative or un-ecological states, that student would be asked to leave the training and; I have seen people removed exactly for that reason.

A couple of years ago, I was teaching a NLP Practitioner class in Toronto. One morning on the way into the classroom, I believe it was the 5th day of a 7 day training, there was a table outside the adjacent room setup for a group that was discussing human issues and how to improve your life and your community. It got my attention so I stopped and ask the lady behind the table about it. We had a nice discussion and she asked me what I was doing in the hotel? I proudly told her I was the trainer for the NLP class. Well... her reaction was not one of interest or pleasure. I forget exactly what she said but it was something along the lines of, "Oh. Yeah, they use that NLP to influence and mess with people." Uh oh!

Well, I took that as a positive message that I needed to have a chat with my class about the ecological use of NLP and the words you speak. We spent the first segment, an hour and a half, on it. I am proud to say that I have been privileged to teach many wonderful people who I believe are of the highest integrity when it comes to their use of NLP.

My friends, I honor the time I spent listening to the absolutely perfect example of how not to use NLP because it has helped me thoroughly understand where my values and boundaries are with respect to communication and I am even more motivated to share NLP with others!

I have been asked over and over again to put on a NLP training. I have been asked to start a NLP study group in Denton. Friends, it will be done. This weekend has moved me into action! Yoo hoo! ;-) I will be sending out more information on this in the future.

On the 7th and 8th of this month, we had a great weekend seminar called Reclaim Your Life. I mentioned to the group that one thing people who have done a serious study of NLP agree on is that the heart or spirit is missing in NLP. Quite a few of the people in the room who had studied NLP agreed. I always bring the heart in because it truly empowers the individual.

I know that, by now, you know how I feel about using words effectively and with integrity. Let me suggest to you all again, to purchase Yvonne Oswald's book called Every Word Has Power (see the sidebar). It will change the way you speak and by that, you will change your life.

BE Amazing!
-Lane