Neuro Linguistic Programming

104 Part II: Winning Friends and Influencing People

learners benefit from practical sessions and role playing: they prefer

a ‘hands-on’ approach. Teachers of groups of pupils need to provide

a multi-sensory approach that caters for all styles. Children may be

labelled as ‘slow’ when in fact the dominant teaching style doesn’t fit

with their preferred way of learning. All these principles apply to adult

learners, too.

✓ Increasing the impact of the written word. When you put pen to paper

and words to screen – from a job description, to customer proposal,

charity letter, product advertisement, or article for your local commu-

nity newsletter – you need to broaden your vocabulary to cover all the

representational systems. To appeal to every reader, select words that

include all three dimensions.

✓ Connecting with clients and colleagues on the phone. Nowadays more

and more business happens on the phone and through email rather

than face-to-face. You may never get to meet some of your clients or

colleagues. Keep a pad by the phone and make a note of the kind of lan-

guage they use – can you hear visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic language?

As you listen, and then reply, phrase your sentences to match their

preference.

Focus on one sense a day

While reading this chapter, you may have

become more curious about yourself and those

with whom you spend time – how you and they

think and experience life. To enhance your skills

further, you can explore your senses in different

ways, for example, picking a sense theme for

each day.

Perhaps you can make today an olfactory day,

when you pay attention to every fragrance,

smell, and aroma. Or a visual day, when you

switch off the music and focus on the sights,

shapes, and pictures – really see what’s around

you. A touch day can be fun, when you feel the

surrounding textures or get in touch with your

feelings at regular points in the day.

If you’re a creature of habit who takes the dog

for a walk every morning or drives the same

route every day, notice what changes for you

when you pay attention to just one sense at a

time.