Chapter 19: Dipping into Modelling 297
To see what’s really possible through modelling, you may like to take a look at
http://www.nlpu.com and Robert Dilts’s work on the strategies of genius. Dilts
studied a range of exemplars, many of whom weren’t actually alive – such as
Mozart and Leonardo da Vinci. From his study of Walt Disney, Dilts created a
model of creativity (known in NLP as the Disney Strategy) that explores
Disney’s ability to turn dreams into real projects.When you begin modelling, you look to identify explicit underlying patterns
in the way your exemplar operates, listen for their beliefs and values, and get
curious about how people think and behave. Ultimately, the test of the model
you then create is whether it stands alone so that you can teach it to someone
else and they can then replicate the results your exemplar achieves.Like any field of intellectual enquiry, modelling involves wanting to solve a
problem, answer a question, discover something new, and gather the
information to present an informed and valuable hypothesis that stands up
to scrutiny when tested. NLP literature abounds with interesting studies of
modelling, including what you find in this chapter and much more besides.
Modelling is the crux of NLP.Have you ever looked at someone with a touch of admiration and asked
yourself, ‘How do they do that?’, ‘How do they manage to have such a good
life?’, or ‘I wish I could... .’If so, that’s good; you’re ready to learn from others. However, to make things
simple for yourself, take a small chunk size or aspect of their skill to model.
Instead of looking at someone’s whole life, identify something they excel at,
such as how they negotiate a pay rise or how they speak to their children
without getting cross. Begin by considering an area of your life in which you
want to improve your skills or transform your experience, and ask yourself
the following questions:✓ What would I like more of in my life and work? For example, do you
want more fun, more challenge, or a partner to share your life with? Do
you want more holidays or a better paying job?
✓ What would I like less of? Perhaps you want to be less involved in
office politics, not have to nag your teenage children so much to get
their coursework done, or get rid of some household chores. Do you
want to spend less time travelling on business?
✓ Who do I already know who’s achieved a specific capability that I can
learn from? As you look around, you’re likely to spot someone fairly
close who has a skill that you’ve not been able to gain just yet.