New Language of Performance - NLP

I am in the middle of a certification program in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and to say the least, I am enjoying every bit of it. As it might be known to many people, NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming- an art and science of behavioral awareness and modeling based on neurological processes and use of language. 
I will not deal with the intricacies of NLP here, rather this post is about how NLP and its techniques form  basis of every human interaction and excellence. NLP is modeling excellence in every field of life. So basic are its application that it should be made a kind of fundamental curricula in academics and social milieu. Let's consider the following areas that NLP could positively impact -

• Personal life: NLP can most certainly help lead a fuller and richer life if made a conscious choice. It's about creating choices in life, building rapport with people and being more empathetic to others naturally. It's a tool that helps one know the self first and through the process be aware of others' dynamics. It makes one congruent to self and in-sync with others. For example, in NLP there is this belief that we can't not communicate....we always communicate with others, we can not stop communicating even if we aren't talking. Body language takes over- smile, grin, frown all give away important clues about oneself. Hence, appropriate use of body languages and cues (How) are as important if not more than the words we choose(What). Imagine, what does it mean to learn or be sensitized about these from growing years- A generation which is more socially skilled and resourceful.
• Professional life: Professional life demands certain base skills of inter-personal relationship that are either extension of personal/ social skills or acquired through training or simply being an organizational-creature. NLP does provide tips and techniques to cope up with these demeanors and model excellence. NLP could help ground professional into him/herself and realize the potential without being a part of the corporate rat-race. A self-aware and sensitive professional makes for a better workplace. For example, the concept- The Map is not the Territory signifies that we interpret the world from our mental map rather than the reality and that could limit choices. So, as a professional the link is to change the internal map to shift the experience- be it good or not so good!

This form of self-awareness through NLP is not new and radical however, this can surely be a structured way to become more socially acceptable and contributing that helps one to lead the life of excellence and fulfillment. 

Time to give serious thoughts to bring certain practices in NLP back to everyday life?

Social Learning: Leveraging its Power as an L&D Professional

For all of us in Workplace Learning and Performance (WLP) arena, changing preferences, dynamics and priorities in learning are part of the game. We had traditional modes viz. classroom training, coaching, e-learning, blended learning and you name it... Enter the new kid off-the block- Social Learning!
What is Social learning? Before we go in defining, let's appreciate Social Media...which encompasses internet, intranet, social networking (face book, LinkedIn, Blogs, Twitter etc.).Gen-Y appreciate them and are comfortable using them.
Social Learning is about learning culture and engagement process involving social media. Democratization of learning wouldn't have gone any better. It's about power of collaboration and social/peer group. Let's see how it works- You have an issue on anything with your own version of solution...yet you want validation, alternatives or simply seek an opinion. You use any of these media. People collaborate and unleash the power of accumulated wealth of knowledge.
Use of social learning can be seen in organizations, groups, think-tanks and any other conceivable platforms.
We started with how to harness the power of social learning in organizational L&D space?

• Form a group
• Ideate on key points of interests
• Members posts their opinions, seek opinions or simply start a discussion
• Networking effect sets in
• Group gets enriched with collective learning
• Becomes a part of organization knowledge repository

What are the distinctive benefits?

1. Power of many brains 
2. Ease and scalability of knowledge sharing
3. Convenience
4. Serve as a reference knowledge repository for the organization
5. Cost effective......among many others

Majority of the progressive organizations are today well placed to draw benefits of social learning. However, the enabler in this case also is the organizational culture and openness to try newer things and decision makers in L&D teams must appreciate the new technology and encourage the use.

Are you cozying up to Social Learning?

Peak Performance Needs Flow!

I just watched the news of Asha Bhonsle turning 77 today and got inspired to write this post. Peak Performance (PP) is what she embodies. We WLP professionals and other professionals worth their salt all aspire for such great feats in our fields. 

Let's talk of PP, it's a flow, a melody,an effortless performance resembling the innumerable songs that the maestro herself sang over so many decades and continues to do so even now. Whenever a performer achieves PP, it's the culmination of dedicated efforts and a self-belief towards a great cause, in her case, songs to touch lives of so many fans spread over geographies cutting across language barrier.

What's mine and yours in WLP arena? 

Surely, it's gonna help people look good, feel good about their performance. My success as a WLP professional rests with my clients' (read colleagues,friends and other stakeholders) success. For this to happen, only hard work is perhaps not sufficient...what's needed is a smart work. A smart work (so often heard but poorly understood!) is dedicated work plus a touch of heart into it. So, whatever we do should be guided by our larger goals that has a heart-felt emotion woven into it. This brings a flow, a melody and rhythm in our acts...things become effortless. Could you visualize Asha singing a melody or Nadia Komanchi performing those jaw-dropping acrobatics? That's PP!

To get initiated, could we bring a touch of heart in our acts and see the 'Flow' taking over. This could be a real dedication to the maestro on her turning 77!

Let's Flow!

Learn to Question!

Ever wondered, why do we find asking the right kind of questions at the right time to the right person so difficult in our lives- personal and professional alike?
That's the reality we face as WLP (for uninitiated, Work Place Learning and Performance) professionals day-in and day-out while training, coaching and facilitating. In sales, asking the right open questions to customers, in managing people, asking questions to people and in parenting, asking the questions to kids all have a common thread running through them... difficulty in asking that perfect question!
Let's analyze the genesis traced back to our cultural patterns... since childhood, we are taught to Answer questions (read, properly) to our parents, teachers, relatives, neighbors and you name it. Seldom we hear ourselves saying to our kids, 'Sonney, you must see that you ask a good question to your teacher today.' Instead, on innumerable times we ask kids how have they answered questions in tests, quizzes and on casual conversations even.
It's time we as a society,family and community start asking ourselves, Is it something that we could teach our kids on so that they don't face the same ineptness. 
We must ask...Ask we must!