Chapter 11: Working with the Logical Levels 187
As he began to evaluate his own values and beliefs he realised that some
essential ingredients were missing. He’d invested time and energy into taking
an MBA and valued professional learning and development as important.
Yet he always ended up in ‘hire and fire’ organisations that were too busy to
invest in their staff or to work strategically: places that drained his energy.
His beliefs and values didn’t match those of the organisations in which he
worked. When he understood this discrepancy, he took his skills to a presti-
gious international business school that valued his education and skills and
gave him the opportunity to develop further.Here are some beliefs and values questions to ask yourself when you sense
that a conflict exists at this logical level that’s hindering you getting what
you want:✓ What factors are important to you in this situation?
✓ What’s important to other people?
✓ What do you believe to be right and wrong?
✓ What has to be true for you to get what you want?
✓ When do you say ‘must’, ‘should’, ‘must not’, and ‘should not’? What
assumptions lie behind these statements about what’s possible?
✓ What are your beliefs about this person or situation? Are they helpful?
What beliefs may help you get better results?
✓ What would somebody else believe if placed in your shoes?
Armed with the answers to these questions, you may want to work on your
beliefs and values to ensure that they support you through difficult times. As
you question your beliefs about yourself you may choose to discard some
that no longer serve you well.In business-change management programmes, you often hear talk of ‘winning
the hearts and minds’ of people. If you’re leading a group of people, you need to
address their beliefs and values. When you have the right beliefs firmly in place,
NLP suggests that the lower levels – such as capabilities and behaviours – fall
into place automatically.Identity
Identity describes your sense of who you are. You may express yourself
through your beliefs and values, capabilities, behaviours, and environment,
and yet you’re more than all these factors. NLP assumes that your identity
is separate from your behaviour, and recommends that you remain aware of
the difference. In other words, you’re more than what you do.