Lenka Lutonska
As a business owner, are you good at communicating? Do you find it easy to attract new customers, get your brand message across, and work effectively, or do you feel like you’re wading through molasses half the time?
Lenka Lutonska, business strategist, communications coach and author of Aggressive sales and marketing– I would say you probably need to spend some time working on your neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).
Invented by author Richard Bandler and Professor John Grinder (both psychology graduates) in the 1970s, NLP examines what language our body and mind use to make sense of the data they receive from our nervous system and how we then behave outwardly as a result. “Simply put,” says Lenka, “NLP is an instruction manual for the mind. It contains a set of tools that help us become more powerful communicators, happier and more productive individuals. It is advanced communication – with ourselves and others – and as such offers a wide variety of applications ranging from sales, marketing and leadership to communicating with the people we love. , as well as with the people we serve.
There has been a lot of debate as to whether NLP is in fact a form of psychological therapy or not and it has been criticized in the world of psychology for its lack of scientific basis. It certainly appears to be the case. Although it has undergone some testing, most of its effects have been anecdotal rather than scientific, making it difficult to decipher its effectiveness in concrete terms. That said, there have been studies that have tested the psychological state of NLP practitioners and found it improved after training and Richard Bandler explained in a 2012 BBC interview that the techniques should not be considered a form of neuroscientist. training but rather a form of “optimization” of state of mind.
Whether you agree with its scientific basis (or lack thereof) is up to you – the medical world is still debating it. But the evidence shows that learning to communicate effectively contributes more to business success than almost anything else, and these techniques – which are three of the basic NLP practices – are communication hacks that anyone can access.
Holmes Report published in 2011 a body of research, “The Cost of Poor Communications”, which made it possible to financially quantify the cost of poor communication. He revealed that the average cost of disinformation in the form of policies, job descriptions and processes for a UK or US based company was $ 62.4 million per year. It also goes beyond bureaucracy. He also revealed that companies whose leaders are highly effective communicators achieved a total shareholder return of 47% compared to those without.
Having used NLP techniques to develop her own mindset and business, Lenka went on to become a master practice coach herself. Since then, she has worked with thousands of high net worth clients to help them develop their own mindset and, in so doing, become more effective communicators:
“Over the past 10 years, there is very little that I haven’t seen resolved with NLP, from small adjustments in minor habits and state control to solving big problems,” says -she.
Lenka says women leave her trainings equipped with an array of communication tools for more success in their businesses and their lives. “During this process they also take on their full meaning, feeling like ‘I have arrived’ and as such leave as more empowered women, equipped to face the challenges of daily life and business. ‘a whole different way and knowing how to achieve what they want. “
Interested in finding out more? So read ahead of Lenka’s top three NLP tips that you can incorporate into your professional life today:
- Learn to speak the same language as your customer
One of the biggest issues that professionals face when working with a new client or colleague is overcoming a different style of communication.
“In sales and other business situations, it helps to pay attention to your customer’s preferred system of representation and communicate accordingly,” says Lenka. “Otherwise, they can really have the impression that you speak a foreign language.
The way we speak and process information is closely related to our “preferred representational system,” one of the things NLP is famous for. “
It is widely accepted that people have different learning styles. Some process information by seeing while others learn more by hearing or doing. The trick, according to Lenka, is to discern what style your client or colleague is using and embrace those traits yourself. Visual learners will find the diagrams and evidence appealing while auditory learners will want to hear a strong argument delivered by a voice that speaks with conviction. Lenka teaches people to pay attention to these preferences and their telltale signs and adapt accordingly.
“We are of course perfectly capable of using all of these representational systems when communicating, but it is more likely that you will use one a lot more than the others and the same is true for your potential clients.
” The final result ? It pays to speak your customer’s language. “
- Look at another angle
For many people, the thought of presenting, pitching in person or speaking in public fills them with dread. One of the best ways to overcome these nerves is to imagine looking at yourself from a different perspective.
“By imagining yourself presenting yourself in front of your audience – not through your own eyes but rather through the eyes of the audience or from above – you put yourself in the position of an objective observer.
“When we look at situations from different angles (through other people’s eyes, an objective observer, or a little fly on the wall), we come out of our own head and see things for what they really are. “
Lenka explains that it not only calms our nerves and lessens the effect of negative emotions, but also allows the mind to detach enough from the outcome to focus more on solutions and ideas.
Lenka suggests using this exercise to mentally prepare yourself for your next important presentation, business conversation, product launch, or any other situation that makes you feel apprehensive.
“You will be calmer, a lot more resourceful and a lot more prepared for success. “
- Examine your beliefs
It may seem obvious that a lack of self-confidence will hold you back, but how much time have you actually spent examining your own limiting beliefs?
“Even such a limiting belief can have a huge adverse effect on ourselves, our well-being and our business performance,” says Lenka.
Learning to identify them is the first step in overcoming them. Any thoughts or beliefs you have about yourself that don’t support you can be deconstructed. For example, instead of clinging to the belief that you are not “good enough,” instead spend time reviewing all of your accomplishments that suggest you are.
“I’m not good enough” is one of the main limiting beliefs that separates women from their most extraordinary success. Once you change this belief and recognize that you are more than good enough, you will begin to feel more comfortable taking bigger risks and aiming for more meaningful goals.
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