Power of Linguistics
Communication is the currency of a relationship.
We cannot not communicate –with words or/and non-verbally. How we communicate what we communicate forms the basis of our relationship with others and ourselves.
“Communication is to relationships what breath is to life” – Virginia Satir
Since relationships form the essence of our living, the quality of communication and relationship determines the quality of our life.
Therefore understanding and being mindful of the ‘power of linguistics’ is essential.
Just one word!
With just one word, you can experience emotions ranging from an extreme sense of sadness to an extreme sense of happiness.
How many times have you been hurt by a single word another person has communicated to you?
Most disagreements which can lead to arguments or fights are not about behaviours, but about the words used and the interpretation of those words.
People believe that words are real, although words are a symbol that you give to reality and the experiences of reality.
Being mindful of what you communicate and how you communicate is a gift you can give to yourself and others.
In my NLP workshops, I share NLP techniques and tools so that participants can enhance their quality of relationships and thereby live a better quality of life.
Words and Magic
In the NLP book – ‘Sleight of Mouth’ by Robert Dilts (co-developer of NLP) shares that –
Words and magic were the same thing in the beginning. Even today, words retain much of their magical power. Words do call forth emotions and they are universally the means by which we influence others.
Many NLP tools such as ‘Milton Model’ taught in certified NLP workshops enable us to weave the magic of words & language to create influence in other’s lives.
Some magicians of words
“Words – so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, but how potent for good and evil they become, when in the hands of one who knows how to combine them” – Nathaniel Hawthorne
The magic of words and language has been artfully used consciously or unconsciously by humankind since ages for the purpose of influence. Certainly, in all kinds of professions as well, such as media, healthcare and sports.
Some others being:
1. The Immortals
There have been people who have been using the magic of words at an unconscious level to bring about a positive influence on other people. (As my NLP certification course participants say – “they are natural NLP Practitioners”).
We may have never met people such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Rumi, but what makes them influential even today is the impactful way they have used linguistics (language) to communicate their thoughts.
Robert Dilts (co-developer of NLP) in his NLP book – ‘Sleight of Mouth’, has even decoded some linguistic patterns used by them. He has also shared ways of challenging a ‘limiting belief’ through linguistics.
2. Hypnotherapy
Dr. Milton Erickson (Hypnotherapist) would use language in an artfully vague manner to create a positive influence on thousands of lives.
He worked on individuals dealing with all kinds of psychological, physical, emotional and mental issues only through specific linguistic patterns.
Due to his high success rate, he would achieve as a psychotherapist, he was considered as a model of excellence by the co-creators of NLP.
Therefore, the co-creators of NLP – John Grinder and Richard Bandler modelled Dr. Milton Erickson. As a result of modelling the linguistic patterns used by Dr. Erickson, the co-creators developed the Milton Model.
(Milton Model is usually taught in NLP workshops worldwide).
To know more about the process of NLP Modelling, visit NLP Modelling Page.
You can even learn the linguistic patterns used by Dr. Milton Erickson in the NLP book –‘Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H Erickson, M.D, Volume 1 & 2’ written by John Grinder and Richard Bandler. Further, you can also read about the Milton Model Language Patterns used in Hypnosis.
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Events3. Politics
Many politicians have already attended NLP trainings or have an NLP Trainer/NLP coach/NLP Practitioner assisting them. Hence they have already been using NLP linguistic patterns and several NLP techniques and tools to influence people.
For instance, you may have heard a politician even in India say things such as:
“I will ensure there is a better education system in the county”.
Each citizen of a country would want a better education system in their country and hence would agree with that statement.
However, each citizen will have their own meaning and perspective of what a “better education system” means to them.
Speaking in this artfully vague manner – using ‘Milton Model’ patterns and other NLP techniques & tools, the politicians attempt to influence the citizens.
Of course, some politicians are using a much more advanced level of linguistic patterns that are taught in NLP trainings.
4. Police
Robert Dilts (co-developer of Neuro Linguistic Programming) shares in his NLP book – ‘Sleight of Mouth’ the following :
A police officer receives an urgent call to a local residence to handle a reported incident of domestic violence. This police officer is on alert since she knows that it is in these types of situations, there is the most physical danger.
Those people, especially – violent, angry people, don’t want the police to interfere in their family affairs.
As the police officer approaches the apartment, she hears shouting and screaming coming from inside. She hears a man yelling loudly and the sound of various objects being broken. In addition to the terrified screams of a woman.
Meanwhile, all of a sudden, a television set comes crashing down from the front window and smashed into pieces on the ground in front of her.
The police officer rushed to the door and began to pound on it as hard as she could. She then hears an enraged male voice from inside the apartment shouting: “Who the hell is that?”.
Eyeing the pieces of the dismantled television set spread all over the ground, the police officer blurts out, “Television repairwoman!”.
There is a moment of deafening silence inside the apartment. Finally, the man breaks out in laughter.
He then opens the door and the police officer is able to make her intervention, avoiding any further violence or physical confrontation.
Subsequently, the police offer reports that those two words were as useful as months and months of training in hand-to-hand combat.
In Transformative NLP International (T-NLP) Trainings:
As an NLP Trainer and NLP coach, I am aware of the power of linguistic; hence I often share in my NLP trainings that:
Each one of us is carrying around a weapon..weapon of words..how are you using them?
Remember:
Since communication is the currency of relationships, it is important to have clear communication.
Misinterpretations corrupt relationships. Hence to avoid misinterpretations, being specific and asking the correct questions is important.
In my New Code NLP certification trainings in India and abroad, participants get trained to be an NLP coach where they learn ways to be specific and ask the correct questions with the help of NLP tools such as ‘Verbal Package’ and ‘Meta Model’.
You can learn to weave magic with words even in a 2 days NLP Training of NLP Core Skills.
If you would like further information about NLP, you can find that on NLP History and What is NLP page.
“Learning NLP enables you to understand how we organize our perceptions through the language of the mind to create our reality.”
Use of linguistics in Coaching
I have had the privilege of learning NLP including NLP Master Trainers Training and Advanced Modal Operator Training from Christina Hall (co-developer of NLP). In the interview with me, she shares interesting insights into how she uses linguistics in the context of coaching.
“Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well.” – Robin Sharma
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