Entries Tagged 'NLP' ↓

I am so pleased that a NLP Practitioner group is now in place and have started its activity. Last Thursday a group of interested  twenty three persons got together to improve their skills to become better.

Is it a breakthrough in Mauritius to have an NLP practitioner group? As far as I know this is a first unless proved contrarily. I gathered that there have been various NLP training given by NLP trainers: <known to me> namely David Molden from the UK , other trainers from Singapore , and a trainer from France who I had commissioned many years ago. On a short training course, usually 2-3 days, awareness of NLP practices and principles may be achieved, knowledge transfer may occur but I believe that not much skills transfer may be achieved.

For my personal experience, I underwent the first time a total 300 hours of contact training in Bath with John Seymour in a total immersion process to build in some skills. It  lasted a whole month. My skills were further honed by the masters of NLP in Colorado with the oldest and most reputed NLP organisation.

As far as NLP knowledge is concerned is concerned, thanks to the generosity of Robert Dilts anybody can read, study and consult for free the NLP encyclopedia.

In my previous blog I stated the possible benefits of NLP skills.

This is a new journey for me and I am confident it will be a fruitful one. It was fantastic to see the collective learning oozing from the practitioner group. It reinforced my belief and conviction in the power of collective power in learning.

Ce que vous apporte la PNL

Une formation de Praticien puis de Maître-Praticien PNL permet l’appropriation de modèles de plus en plus performants

et puissants pour communiquer, apprendre et changer, au service de vos objectifs personnels et professionnels.

La communication. Les excellents communicants savent se fixer des objectifs pertinents, établir des relations de confiance,

définir des indicateurs de progression et de réussite, et faire preuve d’une flexibilité mentale, émotionnelle

et comportementale. En développant votre impact sur vous-même, vous développez votre impact sur les autres et

construisez des relations plus riches.

L’apprentissage. Réaliser nos buts dans un environnement instable nécessite un apprentissage permanent. Nous

avons besoin d’apprendre à apprendre. Apprendre en modélisant et en transférant la structure de notre propre excellence

d’une situation à une autre, ou apprendre en modélisant l’excellence des personnes qui nous entourent.

Le changement. Il permet aux individus ou organisations de trouver en permanence un nouvel équilibre entre les

exigences externes (les contraintes de l’environnement) ou internes (les valeurs, mission et vision). Un équilibre plus

aligné, plus stable et confortable, générateur d’une plus grande énergie et d’une plus grande performance.

À qui s’adresse la PNL ?

À tous ceux qui considèrent la communication et les ressources humaines comme des facteurs clé de leur performance

et de leur réussite personnelle et professionnelle, et à titre d’exemple dans les domaines suivants :

• L’entreprise : managers, commerciaux, contrôle qualité, DRH, formation, recruteurs

• Les métiers du conseil et de l’accompagnement : coachs, consultants, orientation et réinsertion professionnelle

• La pédagogie : enseignants, formateurs, éducateurs

• La santé : médecins, dentistes, infirmières et professions paramédicales

• La relation d’aide : psychologues, psychothérapeutes, assistantes sociales

Le contenu des formations PNL est facilement transposable à tous les domaines d’activité.

I spent some time today reading the ‘heart of coaching’ introduced to me by my very good friend Rita from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia to whom I spoke today on Skype. Her company based in Malaysia covering the Fareast regularly runs training seminars and certifies trainers. Thomas G Crane the author of the bestseller ‘Heart of Coaching’ is one of her regular speakers and trainers.

Three chapters of the book are offered by the Author, free of charge as a teaser, which are just enough to get you excited to read on.

Book Description

This is the 10th year and the 4th version of this book being a vital resource for those who are willing to develop coaching as a contemporary leadership skill. It presents the powerful process called Transformational Coaching as a comprehensive and systematic way to plan, organize, and conduct coaching conversations. It de-mystifies into easy to understand and follow steps, thus making it a communication tool for leaders and their teams to coach in all directions – Up toward one’s Boss, Down toward one’s Direct Reports, and Laterally to one’s Peers. Huge benefits accrue to the organizations where this becomes a cultural norm…and a true “coaching culture.”

In the spirit of keeping “The Heart of Coaching” a vibrant and contemporary resource for our readers, we offer this Third Edition where we do several important things. We have deepened the connections between Emotional Intelligence and the art and practice of coaching. We added “setting organizational context” to the expectation-setting portion of the conversation so that coach and coachee both clearly address the “big picture” framework of Vision, Mission , Strategy, Key Objectives, and Core Values.

We added more effective ways for both coach and coachee to explore their individual roles as “co-creators” of the situation they are discussing. We added the powerful step of clarifying the “vision for success” as framing for the contemplated action planning. We also remind the coach to acknowledge overall progress of the coachee as they support them in enhancing their effectiveness over the long haul.

Lastly, we have (in chapter 9) clarified the distinctions between the two primary coaching genres – Executive Coaching and Collegial Coaching. It is important to clearly understand how external coaching relationships and processes are different than the internal coaching relationships and processes between people working side-by-side as colleagues.

As coaching is yet another of my favorite subject, looks like I shall purchase the book soon; if I have the permission from my wife as she has been complaining about the storage of the numerous books I have. May be I shall have to purchase a ‘kindle‘ the e-book soon.

During my NLP trainings I had the opportunity to be exposed to the Walt Disney creativity method. Recently one of my friends  told me that she attributed the award of a contract she won to the Walt Disney Creativity Method she proposed.

Since the adoption of the Walt Disney Method in the 70’s as an NLP tool, Walt Disney has developed and promoted the tools used in house by their organisation to a new businesses. A Disney Institute has since been created to develop the Business Leaders of the world.

I would advise businesses leaders  to undergo training with them and learn from them. Even if you are not in the field of entertainment much has to be learned. I am particularly interested to learn more about the stategies of Disney. They have succesfully  created value in  merchandising the different brands and personalities they have created. I consider Disney as the top of the top in marketing after all Disney is a world class organisation.

How can you manage a queue of several hours of waiting customers whilst giving them a lasting excellent customer service?

Disney Institute began as a vision, and the visionary was Walt Disney himself.

Not only did Walt Disney re-define the world of entertainment, his legacy is found in a worldwide scope of motion pictures, Theme Parks, stage shows, books, magazines, television, merchandise, music, apparel, radio, resorts, a cruise line and more.

Of course, none of this would have been possible had he not also re-written the rules of business.

Walt Disney was, and will always remain, that rare breed: an artistic genius who, with the unflagging and essential support of his brother, Roy, created an effective organizational model and efficient work environment where employees were recognized for their achievements, encouraged to work as a team and, by striving for excellence, continually broke the confines of the status quo to surpass the expectations of the world.

Your Opportunity

Since Disney Institute opened in 1986, millions of attendees representing virtually every sector of business from every corner of the globe have had an opportunity to witness and experience these innovative business strategies.

Disney Institute remains the only professional development company where you will literally step into a “living laboratory” at Disney Theme Parks and Resorts for guided behind-the-scenes field experiences. Disneys brand of business excellence is also being taught at locations across the U.S. and, to date, in more than 40 countries around the world.

We have inspired leaders to change not only their business practices, but also to examine their business issues in an entirely new light. Like them, you will find your organization has more in common with Disney than you ever imagined.

Our Methods

Whether you tune into a Disney Institute WebCast, attend a workshop in your city, or immerse yourself in a multi-day program at a Disney Destination, the lessons we’ve developed are rooted in the time-tested visions and ideals of Walt Disney. As you “experience the business behind the magic,” you’ll discover our innovative training methods focused on three key program outcomes: Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application. These outcomes will clearly illustrate ways that you can adapt and apply these lessons into your organization.

As vital as the message are the messengers. Disney Institute facilitators include accomplished business leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and executives who use dynamic and entertaining stories and demonstrations to explain effective business models and concepts. Depending on the program length and location, these sessions may be enhanced by facilitated discussions, team-building exercises, case studies, experiential activities, and behind-the-scenes guided tours at Disney Destinations. Disney Institute programs provide you with a business map that will help you chart a course for your organization, your division, and yourself.

Your return on this investment is across the board improvement. You’ll realize this improvement in processes, your work environment, and the delivery of customer service. You’ll sense it in yourself and your employees who are inspired to strive for excellence. Above all, you’ll see it in increased productivity and a renewed sense of purpose and potential.

I obtain the following article from UCT graduate school of business where I had the opportunity in my earlier days (1987) to hone my skills in Marketing. UCT I consider as one of my Mater Almas, if it was ever possible to talk of several Mater Almas.

I found the content of Elaine Rumboll’s writings very fitting as far as my career is concerned. As much as you may think that entrepreneurship as a science, I had always considered my entrepreneurship skills as an art. Psychological profiling I had undergone pictured me as a right brain thinker and placed me in the box of a creative artist. Have I been the business savvy artist?

Early in my business life career, I was lucky to have had a serious assessment of my psychological traits and preferences determined. I knew where were my strong hands and perhaps more importantly where were located  my weaker hands. I had learned to bank on my strengths whilst acknowledging on my weaknesses and delegating some of my unressourceful  duties and tasks. Later as I climbed the ladder of the corporate world, I made sure that I was supported by a team that made up for my deficiencies. I have always been a wholesome person or if you prefer, a big picture person, performing tiny detail tasks pumped up my energy. I make sure that my direct assistants were detailed and sequential oriented persons. Susan, a thorough and precise operator was always at hand. Cynthia another orderly organiser assisted me for years. I thus manage with a two brains tandem: my rightful own right brain and the left brains of my associates.

I also learnt early that success comes faster with creativity. I spend a fair amount of my time in observing changes that was operating on the business scene and anticipate speedily ahead of the trend. I often with a bout of humour asked: Whilst may be you know what you know, how do you know what you do not know? The answer came in often by asking the question: what if? I have to bless my parents, my educators for having instilled in me this craving for creativity. These creativity skills were later improved by the NLP training I had the opportunity to follow.

I would recommend to you to read: Enjoy your inner artist- Improving your Creativity with NLP by Luis Jorge Gonzalez.

The art of entrepreneurship

It’s often been said that there is an art to doing business, but conversely not much has been raised on the business of being an artist. That’s not surprising given that the words “artist” and “profit” have never traditionally been associated with each other. In the 21st century, however, things are beginning to change.

There is an increasing attention on the concept of artists as entrepreneurs emerging globally – artists are becoming more business savvy and finding new ways of sustaining their artistic livelihood. Artists of all kinds are applying their creativity in new ways as businesspeople, and proving that it is possible to leave the “starving artist” notion behind in favour of the “business savvy artist”.

In the US, the New York Times recently picked up on this trend, and in a feature presented some successful artists changing the game. According to Elliot McGucken who teaches the course Artist Entrepreneurs at the University of North Carolina, the advancement of business skills “rests on the principle that those who create art should have the skills to own it, profit from it and protect it”.

“It’s about how to make your passion your profession, your avocation your vocation, and to make this long-term sustainable,” he says.

This business imperative to the world of the arts has become all the more important in the past year, as the recession has not left the art world unscathed – while most of the media attention is on corporates, the plight of the arts is an important issue that needs addressing as well.

A study conducted by Arts & Business in the UK, for example, found that many UK arts organisations are already feeling the pinch of a shrinking economy. Released in April, the survey, titled Market Trends 2009, found that the majority (63%) of respondents are “experiencing a substantial decrease in business investment”.

In this tougher market context, the need for artists to become more self-sustaining and business savvy, and to find new ways of sustaining their artistic livelihood in the long-term, has become much more critical. It’s a realisation that has begun to permeate many individual artists and educational institutions.

Pioneering the way for artists as fully-fledged entrepreneurs are several leading business schools and universities. In many of these business schools, business and the arts are no longer mutually exclusive, but in fact mutually dependent disciplines that need each other to survive – and thrive.

With this in mind, the University of Michigan recently announced plans to offer a dual programme that will combine a Master of Fine Arts and Master of Business Administration degree later this year. New York University and Yale University already offer similar joint programmes.

This trend of two worlds merging, from a business point of view, also highlights a growing realisation that success in the 21st Century will depend on creativity more than ever before. This increasing link between business and the arts was massively popularised by author Dan Pink and his bestseller A Whole New Mind, in which he argues that people with right and left brain skills, or creative and analytical abilities, will be very much in demand in the years ahead.

As businesses globally seek to now be more creative and innovative in their search for increased market share, creative people are in turn learning that it is possible to make a sustainable living out of their talents with a little business savvy.

While there is a lot of untapped potential for success for South African artists of all kinds – painters, designers, writers, photographers and performance artists – many are not yet astute enough in business matters to move into the entrepreneurial realm with confidence. New innovative courses will help to close this gap.

Here in South Africa, the UCT Graduate School of Business’ Executive Education unit has for the past two years offered a Business Acumen for Artists programme to help local artists step into the world of business by teaching subjects like marketing, negotiation and intellectual property, as well as financial skills and presentation techniques – the course has been described as a revelation by many artists who have attended.

Simon Taylor of Periphery Films, who completed last year’s Business Acumen for Artists, described the course as a profound learning opportunity and a chance to connect with other artists experiencing similar difficulties.

“I went into the programme feeling like I was on an island. I felt really lonely as a creative entrepreneur, so to connect with people feeling the same way was amazing. It was almost like a support group and the experience was on the level of mind and heart adjustment, it was not just about learning new things.”

Tracy-Lee Scully, a freelance graphic designer, illustrator and writer, also from the 2008 programme, agreed.

‘I went to the course expecting to learn some basic business skills, but I finished having learned so much more than that. I learned the value of my work and to let go of my creative insecurities. I gained a whole new perspective on my reality – largely as to what was holding me back from following my dreams to succeed as an artist in a commercial world.”

As these statements demonstrate, artists need to find inventive ways to market themselves and price their goods competitively, without underselling their services and products. This is where marketing know-how and negotiation skills, as well as a good grounding in financial management, for example, could make all the difference.

Thanks to a toastmasters friend, I have now access to a very interesting document which I am studying with eagerness and great pleasure. The 60 odd pages document written by somebody who wants to run down Obama and accuse him of using covert or even illegal means in hypnotherapy to convince his audiences fascinates me. It is a recall to my lessons in NLP some 10 years ago and a refresher to the NLP techniques which I was supposed to acquire, possess and used. Although the intent of the document is to accuse President Obama for wrongfully using hypnotherapy to his benefit, I personally feel that the same document enhances my admiration for the man. Have I been hypnotised by his language?

The fine and precise analysis given, pays high tribute to the author of the document. From his quotes and numerous citations from learned experts in the field of NLP, namely Milton Ericson, he has shown that the author himself is versed in the subject and has researched and studied the speeches of Obama thoroughly. The referral to legal cases in the use of covert hypnosis is also interesting. I wish he could publish the same work on the Obama’s address to the Muslim World in Cairo.

What pleased me most is the demonstration of the use of NLP in the art of public speaking and the skills of mass persuasion. I shall gladly pass on this document to any reader who wants it on request.

Pacing and leading techniques for example:

Basics of Obama’s pacing and leading: The “because we need change, that is why I should be your next president” argument

Building on this basic framework, you do not hear specifics largely because much of Obama’s entire

presentation is pacing the audience. Obama’s sentence structure is often exactly what is taught by Erickson

in ways that cannot be coincidence. If he went into specifics, he would not be pacing, he would be

encouraging the use of the conscious mind, something he is attempting to avoid. Obama’s entire campaign,

essentially, can be summarized as:

1. The economy is bad, or the country is going in the wrong direction (pace) or we need to get an

education for every child (whatever statements no one can disagree with (pace) and therefore creates

a “yes-yes-yes” response, or “yes room.”)64

2. Change (can be used as a pace, an anchor, and/or a preprogrammed response)

3. And or because or that is why (conjunction linking statement)65

4. I will be your next President. (subconscious lead)

Saying that things are bad and we need change is only a logical basis for the conclusion that we need

someone able to solve our current problems for President – but the suggestion that the person to do this is

Obama is rationally under-supported or entirely unsupported. It doesn’t matter though, because the

connection is made on the subconscious level through the use of linking statements applied precisely per

Ericksonian techniques.

Obama says he offers hope, but actually much of Obama’s pacing is negative, e.g. based on how negative

things are. In fact, anger works well as an emotion with which to change behavior through hypnosis.

Notice how Obama rarely if ever smiles during the substantive parts within his formal hypnotic speeches. In fact, he has been described as looking angry.66 The hypnotic analysis is simple, angrily pointing while

frowning and making emotionally strong points in speeches send the subconscious message of a person in

commanding authority over you ordering you to act a certain way.67 Many feel is that Obama is the person

for whom to vote because he magically “inspires”, when in fact, Obama has commanded subconsciously.

Obama says he is the person with judgment, and he says he is the person to solve our problems because he

recognizes what is wrong, but these are logically empty arguments. His arguments based on his “ability to

see” what is wrong provides no real logical basis. His point is no more advanced nor specific than the

average listener’s viewpoint. He opposed the war in Iraq in 2003, but so did half the world, logically,

making Obama no more qualified than half the planet to be President. However, because he uses pacing and

leading so effectively, he says, “because we need change, that is why I want to be your next President” – it is

absorbed into the subconscious as absolute truth. The fact that this argument has no logic is irrelevant to

such feelings. Similarly, just because Obama powerfully says “its time for new energy and new ideas”

doesn’t mean he actually has any new ideas, but through his hypnotic techniques, that’s what people walk

away feeling.

Après sept ans, j’ai revu Alain et Catherine. Ils sont revenus à Maurice pour fêter leurs noces d’argent. Lors de notre rencontre, nous avons bien sur, évoqué avec nostalgie, leur précédent séjour en 2002 et surtout les joies d’avoir initié les éléments de la PNL aux enseignants des enfants en difficultés d’apprentissage.

Alain a évolué dans sa carrière et profession. Toujours en utilisant les outils de la PNL, il travaille  maintenant comme coach en entreprise. Il a depuis sorti après quelques années de recherche un livre qui traite du coaching : Les 3 types de coaching – La PNL 3^e génération en entreprises et organisations. Son livre est en ce moment, ma lecture quotidienne. Je vous le recommande.

J’étais heureux d’apprendre des nouvelles activités d’Alain et j’ai profité de sa présence d’apprendre de sa méthode et de ses  expériences. Le 3^e niveau (coaching stratégique de l’organisation) est particulièrement novateur par le croisement de 4 théories différentes : celle des configurations de Mintzberg, celle des niveaux logiques et celle des meta-programmes en PNL ainsi que celle des routines défensives d’Argyris. La PNL donnant des outils concrets pour mettre en œuvre une nouvelle configuration, tout en tenant compte des résistances au changement.

Que veut dire Coaching ?

Coaching vient du verbe anglais « to coach », qui signifie entraîner. Dans le langage courant, « un coach » est un entraîneur sportif.
Par extension, le coaching consiste à accompagner dans leur processus de changement des personnes individuelles, des groupes, des entreprises ou des organisations.

Le coach fournit des outils et des perspectives qui facilitent le renouveau personnel, professionnel, et organisationnel. Il apprend à ses clients à créer et maintenir une vision constructive de l’avenir. Il aide à régler les problèmes du moment, à prendre une nouvelle inspiration et à rebondir

Il permet de saisir quotidiennement les opportunités d’apprendre, de changer et de grandir, que nous présente la vie.
L’art du coaching consiste à poser les bonnes questions au bon moment. Un bon coach laisse ses clients trouver eux-mêmes leurs réponses.
Il sait que parfois les questions sont plus intéressantes que les réponses et qu’une bonne question qui reste sans réponse est un facteur puissant facteur de transformation.

Le coaching est une démarche à long terme, même si elle donne très rapidement de bons résultats à court terme.
Une fois le passage difficile traversé (celui qui a initialement motivé le recours au coaching), les clients trouvent un grand profit à garder un contact régulier avec leur coach, pour maintenir le cap, confirmer leur réussite, et l’étendre à d’autres domaines de leur vie.

Je remercie Isabelle Follain que j’avais rencontré au mois d’avril en Hongrie pour la définition de coaching et vous recommande une visite de son site.

In my life, I play two main roles: Corporate consultant to leaders and parent of two teenagers. I am often struck by the similarities between these two “jobs.”

As I see it, many leaders spend their day trying to “make up” for parenting that didn’t happen. And, if you happen to be doing both jobs – you have the perfect opportunity to cross-train.

I consider these 6 rules the basic foundation of a happy family and a happy workplace. See how you can apply them to both domains in your world:

1) Share your toys.

Unless you have an only child, you spend a great deal of time working on this rule in your family. In our family, it’s OK to have a few things to “call your own” but I want my kids to learn that sharing is better than hoarding. It just feels better in the long run (even when a 4-year-old doesn’t want to) because it creates relationship. And relationships are what humans are built for.

Leaders find themselves navigating this territory daily – Whose territory is that global customer? Who gets our limited IT development resources first?  Which business unit(s) should we pour our resources into this year?  How can several urgent needs for “shared services” share the “toys”?  Running interference with people who wear the “That’s mine!” hat, wears many leaders out.  In our work, much of what we do is help leaders facilitate clarity on what fluffy concepts like competition, collaboration, coordination, and compromise really mean in their business.

If people were rewarded for “generosity of spirit” as much as competition and winning, I wonder how families and the corporate world would benefit?

2) Tell the truth.

Most parents reading this would say “telling the truth” is value #1 in their family. Integrity or honesty typically appear on every corporation’s “Values” list.

It’s the grey areas where this gets interesting. Businesses are spending billions of dollars on mandatory “ethics training” …. And in my experience, 99.9% of people know what it means to “do the right thing.”

My son (age 12) is keenly aware of “What is a lie?” Saying something you really don’t mean, such as a compliment?  Promising attention or rewards, but you get busy and can’t follow through at that exact time or day?  Saying one thing, realizing later it wasn’t accurate?

In the corporate setting, putting aside conscious mis-use of power and dishonesty, there is an epidemic of “soft-pedaling the truth.” Phrases like “career limiting move” are used to describe what will happen when you say what you really think. Fulfillment and development groups struggle to meet the expectations that have been set by salespeople.  You tell the boss what they want to hear, even when you know it can’t be done.

If “telling the truth” were something we each decided to take on, as the commitment to accepting responsibility for what you know, acting in alignment with that knowledge to the best of your ability, and not tromping on other’s rights in doing so … I wonder how families and the corporate world would transform?

3) Ask for what you want.

The word “No” is one of the first things a child learns in our culture (and most developed cultures as well). Nature’s way of establishing ourselves as individuals and self-empowerment, I suppose. The inundation of negative messages from the popular media and the over-desire to protect our children at all costs has led most people in this culture to put more attention on what we don’t want, versus on what we can say “yes” to and what we do want.

“What I’d like is…”  “What I wish for is….” “Can I have ….”  “

Being clear what you want … and then asking nicely for it: Practice this daily and create a revolution in the family and the corporate world.

4) Play nice in the sandbox.

In NLP, this is the presupposition “Every behavior has a positive intent. “  Pretty simple.

“Mary didn’t wake up this morning to be mean to you.” I wonder what her intention was?

“Paul didn’t wake up this morning to derail your project.” I wonder what his intention was?

Regularly reminding people about the presence of positive intent can transform any situation. Only hard-core cynics remain committed to the mischievous nature of the human race in the face of realizing that we all really want the same things: Love, respect, a sense of belonging, being useful.

If you asked the question “What do we imagine the positive intention of that person was?” on a regular basis, you’ll find out how powerful transformation can happen from one simple question.

5) When a fight breaks out, both parties are equally responsible.

While this may not be the exact truth, it’s helpful to act as if it is.  Disagreement that de-rails into fighting is never one-sided. I’m not talking about bullying – or oppressive dictatorship.  That’s not about disagreement, that’s about power as a substitute for Love.

This rule is about learning to internalize the concept of personal responsibility.

Once you get past the “he said, she said” polarity of any two positions, you can turn your attention to explore concepts of “What is the common purpose in this situation, that you both share?”  “What kind of give-and-take might allow you both to have something you want?”  Or, if you can’t agree “If we agree to disagree on this, what can we each do to ensure the relationship maintains trust?”

Want to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in negotiation and conflict resolution training?

Apply these simple questions in your family and workplace.

6) Structure works better than no structure.

My daughter had 9 years of early Montessori education, premised on the truth that children (really, all people) learn best by experience (versus “lecture”) and that self-directed learning creates greater motivation. She thrived in an environment where the schedule was known and the goals were clear, but she was also given the freedom to choose within that.  8:00 – Circle time to set our day.  9:00 – Time for math (which was assigned but you got to choose the order of the work you completed during the hour, or pick from several activities). 10:00 – snack.  11:00 – Storytime.  11:30 – lunch.

She became a super-responsible and disciplined person as a result of that environment.

When my kids have a sense of routines and what to expect from the weekend, our weekend goes better.  Chores on Saturday. Pancakes on Sunday. Movie in the afternoon after our work is done. One of their most-requested routines is the weekly menu that gets posted on Sunday afternoon – that way, they know what’s for dinner the whole week.  Simple stuff, but it helps ground us amidst the crazy “unknown-factor” we all experience.

In the business world, there is usually an imbalance in this territory:  Typically too much structure and micro-management on some areas, and too little structure in others.  The definition of “bureaucracy” is “activity that is disconnected from purpose” – or over-structured activity that has lost its meaning.  Meetings or reports or projects that keep us busy but don’t make a difference – that’s an application of structure without purpose. On the other hand, most corporate meetings could benefit from a more involved, engaged structure to facilitate discussion and problem-solving, rthe one-way PowerPoint “drills” that don’t have a clear purpose or goal.

In a world where change is the name of the game, the rule of structure is simply being mindful of letting  people know what you’re thinking and what they can count on, even when you don’t have all the answers and when things are uncertain.  For me, the commitment to be still for 20 minutes and walk every day is an important structure.

If we all gave a little more attention to creating structure that allows for healthy self-discipline and clarity for how to participate, I wonder how our families and the corporate world would benefit?

If I spent the rest of my life putting these rules into practice, it would be a worthy life. There’s never a shortage of people and situations seeking better methods to stay connected, take care of what’s important (ie, each other), and feel a sense of meaning and purpose.

Nobody needs a whole mess of new rules to follow.  But, we each “lead” someone in some way. I try to follow the “Yogi wisdom” of showing up with the same “face” wherever I go.

Bon chance!

My wife has been suggesting Aloe Vera cures for friends who have excess weight issues. We know for sure that excess weight comes mainly from overeating or unbalanced diet. I can vouch for that as I have managed to shred 34 kilos off my body weight. From a high of 108 kilos I have now stabilised at 74 – 75kilos. I have read and studied the slender eating strategy which uses NLP techniques. This recent article from the BBC is claiming success from cognitive behavioural therapy. NLP therapy will not require 20 sessions of 50 minutes I am pretty sure.

More people with eating disorders could benefit from “talking therapies” which aim to release them from obsessive feelings, say UK researchers.

They said a specially-created form of cognitive behavioural therapy might work in four out of five cases.

A 154-person American Journal of Psychiatry study, by the University of Oxford, found most achieved “complete and lasting” improvement.

At present, the treatment is officially recommended only for bulimia patients.

Some statistics suggest that more than a million people in the UK are affected by some kind of eating disorder, the best known types being anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Approximately 40% of those with eating disorders have bulimia, 20% have anorexia, and the remainder have “atypical disorders”, which can combine both bulimic and anorexic-type symptoms.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has backed cognitive behavioural therapy for bulimia, but Professor Christopher Fairburn, the Wellcome Trust funded researcher who led the project, believes his version could help many more people.

His study focused on bulimia and “atypical” patients, but excluded those with anorexia.

The technique works using a series of counselling sessions which help the person involved to realise the links between their emotions and behaviour, and work out ways to change what they are doing.

Self-esteem

Professor Fairburn developed two versions specifically for people with eating disorders, one which focused completely on the eating problems, and another, which took a wider view of not only the eating disorder, but also problems with self-esteem which might be contributing to it.

Both treatments involved 50-minute outpatient sessions repeated once a week for 20 weeks.

Afterwards, the researchers found most patients had responded well, and that this improvement was maintained over the next year – a time during which relapse into eating disorder is most likely to occur.

Two-thirds made a “complete and lasting” response, with many of the other third showing substantial improvement.

Although the study did not specifically include people with anorexia, a second study, currently underway, is showing promising results in this group.

No hospital

Professor Fairburn said: “Now, for the first time, we have a single treatment which can be effective at treating the majority of cases, without the need for patients to be admitted into hospital.

“It is increasingly being used across the NHS, and has the potential to improve the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people living with eating disorders.”

Susan Muir is one person who says that CBT techniques have helped free her of a long-term eating disorder.

The 39-year-old, from Chesterfield, used diet and exercise to shed 13 stone, but found that once this had happened, she found herself binge-eating then obsessively exercising.

“The CBT helped me realise what I was doing, and turned those irrational thoughts into rational ones.

“It really helped me deal with my self-esteem problems and made me feel very positive.”

Susan Ringwood, the chief executive of Beat, the eating disorders campaign group, said: “This research shows that people can benefit from psychological therapy even at a very low weight.

“There has been so little research into eating disorders and anorexia in particular, and this has really added to our knowledge in a challenging field.”

Dr Alan Cohen, mental health spokesperson for the Royal College of GPs, welcomed the research.

He said: “Access to this service, and appropriate training for therapists to deliver this new form of treatment, is very important.”

En septembre 2002, j’avais eu le grand plaisir de recevoir a Maurice Alain Thiry et Catherine Paenhuys

deux expert belges dans l’apprentissage pour la formation des enseignants dans le cadre de L’Ecole pour

la solidarité et la justice.

Ce projet sponsorisé par le Rotary Club de Port Louis et The Circle, m’avait donné de joie et  satisfaction.

Je pense qu’il serait opportun de faire revenir ces experts pour continuer la formation donnée. Voici l’article qui a paru sur le journal aux termes de leurs séjours :

Le PNL : pour une nouvelle stratégie de l’apprentissage

Dans le cadre d’un stage de formation de Stratégies de l’apprentissage à base de Programmation neurolinguistique (PNL), l’Ecole pour la solidarité et la justice (ESJ) reçoit en ce moment Alain et Catherine Thiry, psychologues belges spécialisés dans la pédagogie. Le stage d’une durée de six jours commencé vendredi dernier, et qui se poursuivra ce week-end est destiné aux enseignants des Ecoles complémentaires, dont les stagiaires volontaires sont au nombre d’une vingtaine. Ces derniers n’en sont pas à leur découverte dans ce domaine puisqu’ils ont déjà suivi, en septembre dernier, 15 heures de cours d’initiation, dispensés par Joseph Yip Tong, formateur généraliste de PNL.

Au sein de l’histoire des sciences humaines, celle de la Programmation neurolinguistique est assez récente. C’est aux Etats-Unis, dans les années 70, que les premières recherches ont eu lieu, afin de pallier une pédagogie impuissante devant les élèves dits “moyens” ou “à problèmes”. Des chercheurs se penchent alors sur des sujets brillants : qu’est-ce qui fait que ces derniers ont du talent ? Cinq stratégies mentales, sur lesquelles doit agir l’enseignant, se dégagent de leurs recherches : la compréhension, la mémorisation, la réflexion, la prononciation, le transfert (utilisation dans tous les contextes des facultés que l’élève sait utiliser dans un domaine). ” En général les enfants ont envie d’apprendre, nous déclare Alain Thiry, mais quand ça ne marche pas, ils se démotivent. “

Selon lui, les enseignants sont souvent impuissants à aider l’élève quand ce dernier est confronté à un problème. En général, ils vont donner à l’élève des conseils tels que : ” Sois attentif “, ou ” Concentre-toi “, ce qui ne veut rien dire pour l’élève et s’avère complètement inefficace. Quant aux parents, encore plus démunis, ils disent souvent : ” Mon enfant n’est pas bête mais… ” ” Nous donnons alors aux élèves, poursuit Alain Thiry, une direction de pensée avec nombre de détails techniques, comme, par exemple : “Regardez bien cette image, puis, fermez les yeux en tâchant de la mémoriser, etc” Au vu des résultats, nous sommes en mesure de prouver à l’enfant qu’il n’est pas bête. ” Si ces résultats, toujours selon Alain Thiry, sont souvent spectaculaires, la méthode ne tient pas pour autant du miracle, l’essentiel dépendant de l’acquis de l’élève. C’est un travail de construction : comme on ne peut bâtir que sur du solide, il est souvent nécessaire revenir en arrière, avec l’élève, jusqu’au point où le mur est solide. Tout va alors dépendre de l’élève : s’il faut revenir trop loin en arrière, il y a le risque que ce dernier se décourage. Dans les autres cas, tous les espoirs sont permis.