Recently, on social media, an NLP Practitioner asked a question about a client who reported having a phobia, and with whom he used the NLP Fast Phobia Cure, which may have partly worked, but it came back a few days later?
Course Outlines are Less Useful than you think...
Deductive vs. Inductive Course Design == Failure vs. Success.
If I hear about yet another training course whose structure was obviously designed as a result of deductive reasoning (i.e. an "outline-based" syllabus), I think I might just retch a little. When will enough people realize learning _always_ happens more deeply and effectively, when educational experiences are designed inductively (i.e. backwards, from a "results frame" back to the "arrival frame")?
Outlines are deductive. You begin with a need in mind to cover a certain amount of content and then flesh it out, see how much you can cram in and how to structure it. This is an awful way to learn.
Skills and experiential capabilities are Inductive. You aim to help people achieve a certain result or depth of skill. So you design backwards from that. This is a completely different approach to learning, and while it does INITIALLY result in an outline... if the trainer is worth their salt, they know that they may need to reorder or redesign the plan on the fly once they meet their students. When the result is more important than the plan, as I believe it should almost always be, then any outline becomes a distraction for the students.
If you're a Speaker, have you ever had to answer the question "Please Provide Us an Outline?" Or, do you personally tend to ask that?
This question comes from a mindset about education that does not take into account the vast majority of recent research into more effective and accelerated learning.
In my field, many trainers consider the desire to lean on the crutch of an outline as an impoverished mindset. Administrators need outlines. Government regulators need outlines. The fastest learners seek gifted trainers who can provide unique learning experiences.
My first response to any question seeking an outline is "Can I ask... Why do you need the outline?"
And then I mention a listing program: "is it because you believe that's the best way to evaluate a trainer's offering? Or because your boss, the decision maker, has asked you for it from everyone you're considering hiring? Or because of some other reason? The reason I'm asking you is... if you're the decision maker, I promise you that I know my own strengths and weaknesses, and also those of my competitors... and I know that in my field, an outline of what I'm going to cover is one of the worst possible criteria for evaluating the future success of a training program like what I offer." And then I hold up an outline anyway, just in case they demand it.
And I also say, before I hand over an outline, "If I show you this outline, I want you to know that IF I see a need to adjust my training on the fly to help your team achieve the stated objectives... then this outline becomes irrelevant. I'd throw it out. I promise you, that an inflexible reliance on a printed outline at the expense of the primary outcomes... is a sign of a deeply unqualified and inflexible trainer. So my ultimate question to you is, would you prefer an outline? Or better yet -- a list of specific outcomes I know I can and will achieve for your team, from a trainer with a history of successful results and extensive testimonials?"
I consider this approach an "acid test." I do this because I genuinely want to know if the people that are considering hiring me have even an ounce of appreciation for the depth or levels at which I train. The most progressive and interesting employers will recognize my total commitment to maximizing results, and welcome my refusal to blindly rely on an outline that in every case would have been written before I walked into the training room and met my students in-person, and learned of their unique strengths and weaknesses, and group dynamics.
But the companies that drop the need for an outline and are happy to accept a list of specific outcomes in its place, are the ones for whom I get most excited about training.
Author: Jonathan Altfeld
Inbox Insights
- Knowledge Engineering (& Belief Craft) have evolved, into GeniusMapping™
- As of September 2020, we're in the process of moving from Tampa, Florida, to the Youngstown Ohio area. Currently, during the Coronavirus era, we're mostly focusing on Zoom-based Coaching, and aligning resources to run online courses.
- How "Civil Engineering" totally reframes the word "Stress," redefines the phrase "Stress Management," and leads us to embrace Stress!
- Many NLP Practitioners are more sloppy with their thinking patterns, than they'd like to admit, or... would even notice.
- Watch NLP Co-Founder Richard Bandler use NLP to eliminate Michael Strahan's phobic response to snakes -- in minutes (with Kelly Ripa bringing over a BIG snake at the end to test Michael's response). Spoiler alert: It worked ridiculously well.
- No matter what skill you want to learn, no matter what fears or concerns or hesitation you may have, there are and will always be a wide range of approaches, to learning that skill. It's important to keep that in mind when making learning choices.
- Many more famous people have been trained in Ericksonian (indirect) Hypnosis and NLP than you might guess. There are certainly far more who have strong interests here than have publically admitted so.
- On January 1, 2015, Jonathan Altfeld and 20 other co-authors released a digital book entitled "Creating Business Growth."
- What are the Four Stages of Learning?
- Arlene HoffmanMiami, FLAttended Course : NLP Practitioner Training
Take a remarkable journey with Jonathan Altfeld to a new awakening, a new beginning, and a Bigger and Better You. The tools and techniques of the NLP™ Prac Training will elevate you higher than you ever thought you would soar. Learn, experience, grow rich in love, language, and personal success.
1998 - Willie Harris, Jr.Owner, Importer/Exporter, Seven Continents Trader,Bought Audio : Finding Your Irresistible Voice
I started using your Irresistible Voice CD when I started my import/export company. I was getting nowhere. I had just lost the main customer of my business... my rent bills were coming due... my credit card bills were screaming at the top of their lungs... my world was about to end... Then... Something told me to listen to the CD... take your time and place your headphones on and listen to the damn CD's! I did. I then went to my next meeting waiting to test this stuff out. I walked into his office... sat down... I was told it was only going to be for ten minutes... 'we are VERY BUSY and we only have ten minutes...' And I looked at him... this guy with piles of paper on his desk... and said 'I have always wondered what it's like to work in a place such as this... Just between you and me... how do you do it?' (I lowered my voice as on the CD) And I spent the next two hours talking! And... ...closed a $13,000 account! Jonathan... do me a favor... be careful who you sell this to... take this off the market... or at least raise the price to around $1000!!!!
2003 - Alex KravchenkoIT Consultant, New York, NYAttended Course : Speaking Ingeniously
Consider taking Jonathan Altfeld’s "Speaking Ingeniously" course. To start with, Jonathan is a very powerful public speaker himself, so even if there was nothing else to recommend about this course, just the ability to model someone who’s able to deliver an amazing impromptu presentation on just about any topic I can think of is well worth the price of the workshop. What’s even better, Jonathan, in addition to being a great communicator, is also a very skillful and dedicated teacher who’s quite able and willing to deploy his considerable NLP skills to make his students better public speakers. Add to this a powerful "Speaking Ingeniously" model of delivering both prepared and off-the-cuff presentations and you get a hell of a training! Before the course I had some idea about spatial and tonal anchoring, as well as state-chaining in the context of public speaking. After the course, I have experience of moving people through various states while creating anchors. I also became much better at generating attention grabbing headlines. Bottom line – Jonathan delivers what he advertises and then some! I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to improve their public speaking skills.
2007 - Richard CampoProject Manager, London, UKAttended Course : Belief Craft MP3 Set
"KE is pure Dynamite and when used with [SoM], the combination is explosive! The tools compliment each other so well, you'll find you can not only smash a nut with a hammer but also finely craft and cut and piece back together an issue or problem with the finesse of a skilled craftsman."
2005 - Tim O'KeefeWeb Developer & SEO Strategist, Spider Juice Technologies, Los Angeles, CAAttended Course :
Jonathan, your K.E. Workshop is superb. I got 100% more than I ever expected. I find you engaging and a tremendous model. Your obvious respect for your attendees is admirable. What struck me the most is how fluid the 3 days were. By the 3rd day, everything easily and naturally shifts into understanding. After 1 week, I can tell you I have shifted. The models in my own life (that we worked on in exercises) have been shifting. I have come to some realizations that will be a major change in my business, ultimately allowing me to more fully enjoy my business for the reasons I started it. Thank you!
http://www.spiderjuicetechnologies.com2004 - Cesar GutierrezNew York, NYBought Audio : Finding Your Irresistible Voice
People are now initiating conversations with me about trivial things just to hear my voice. For example, 'what kind of headset do I use with my cellphone?' Really, who asks people what kind of headset do they use?! A co-worker who ordinarily only talks to me only when she has to, asked me 'what time did I get off work and where do I live?' I won't say what happened after that! Results include: (1) My requests are happily granted and sometimes a little extra is thrown in for no reason. (2) I'm instantly diffusing tense and escalated situations. (3) I have increased acuity in my other senses. (4) A co-worker admitted to daydreaming while I was talking to her. One co-worker expressed a bit of jealousy because another co-worker now wants to talk to me more than they want to talk to them. If that's not irresistible, I don't know what is!! I'm usually reserved and speak only when spoken to, however, with these new techniques I find myself looking for opportunities to speak so I can practice and refine my skills. People join conversations I'm in, More people are expressing interest in my website when I use the Embedded Command technique, etc. This is just a small example, Jonathan. Keep up the good work!
2005 - Peter BuchananArchitect, Author, Urban Planner, and Critic, London, UKAttended Course : NLP Skills-Builders (course)
A very enjoyable and energizing weekend, with lots of learning. Jonathan's skills are immensely impressive, and another big plus is the range of things he brings in from outside conventional NLP. Generally, a first-class seminar, especially for those who have already done some NLP!
1999 - Robert BradfordAuthor & CEO, CSSP, Ann Arbor, MIHired Training : Bespoke In-house Training
"Jonathan is a superb trainer with a deep understanding of his subject. His work developing the skills of my team has continued to add value over time."
http://cssp.com - Donna McGeorgeSpeaker, Facilitator, People with PEP,Hired Coaching : Personal Coaching
On the 2 occasions that you have coached me, I have experienced what I assumed to be metaphor sessions. I'm not totally conscious of the process or content of the sessions, yet the results I have had from both sessions are as follows: Session 1 - desired outcome - "get some focus and direction for moving forward given that I'd achieved a lot of what I set out to. What's next?". Whatever you did, my business increased by over 30% in revenues following the session. My focus changed, and I implemented the "Donna the Diva" project, which has resulted in my getting my mojo back, and being way more confident in my skin and clear about what I'm good at. This has also resulted in my "sacking" 2 clients that didn't fit my vision for myself, and for PEP. Again, I'm not sure that I'm consciously aware of what I was doing differently - all I know is that a shift happened, and the result was useful (to say the least). Session 2 - desired outcome - "I'm earning more money than I ever had, and I am swimming in debt - help?! ". Again, I know we talked about a bunch of strategies and I'm clear they also were metaphors. I think our session was about 8 weeks ago? Well, since then - I have cleared all my creditors, and have over $25K in a personal bank account (something that has NEVER happened before). Steve and I are currently shopping for property, and I'm no longer afraid to answer the phone for fear of speaking to a creditor. The physical manifestation of this is that I used to have a folder that was nearly 1.5 inches thick full of bills and accounts. It is currently about an eighth of an inch thick - and these are all less than 30 days. So - that's a pretty literal description of my results of working with you, and I am most grateful to you, and look forward to further coaching. I am happy for you to use any of the above. None of it is a secret - I tell anyone who cares to listen about the results I get following your sessions.
http://www.peoplewithpep.com.au/2007 - Anand RaoLondon, UKAttended Course : Belief Craft Seminar
"I thoroughly enjoyed the training which has helped me to fill in a tremendously powerful area of skill in NLP, that I had previously avoided by thinking it was going to take too much effort to learn. Combining [SoM] with KE gives a context in which to precisely use language patterns."
2005