NLP At Work : The Difference That Makes the Difference in Business

Modeling is one of the most important skills we need today.
More than ever before, we need to be self-reliant in the way we
learn, develop, manage ourselves, take initiatives, and cope
with constant change. Even though you may work for a large
organization, the chances are that no matter how much support
you receive, you either already are or most certainly will be
expected to be self-reliant in the way you respond to the
challenges you face. There are few easy options at work and
the pace is such that others are busy looking after themselves.
However, the good news is that most people have barely
scratched the surface when it comes to drawing on their inner
resources and few really know how to do this. Modeling is the
answer. It is not just a technique, it is a lifestyle, such that
wherever you are and whoever you are with you can be
learning and growing.
Modeling is a way of achieving lifelong learning and true
personal fulfillment. It is a way of respecting the unique talents
that we all have.

I recently watched a TV program showing how the IQ tests that
were once used for college selection in one part of the US
discriminated against the young black population. These people
did not score well on the qualities measured. However, a
researcher discovered that when they experimented with
another test that measured very different aptitudes, the same
population excelled. The implication of relying on the original
test was, in one of the boy’s own words, “We have no option but
to make a living by going on the streets and selling drugs.” By
introducing the new test the researchers were opening doors to
education for this previously neglected group of people.

There are powerful implications in the yardsticks we use to
“box” people into what is acceptable and what is not. Modeling
goes way beyond a new test. It respects the fact that whatever
talents we have are of value and can be directed toward our
own good and for the good of others. To learn to model is to
explode the myths of IQ stereotypes. It is to learn to respect
and allow everyone their rightful place in the world. As the

We need to be self-reliant

Modeling is life-changing

MODELING 155

The importance of modeling