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What Do They Know?
This is a great little exercise that works when you are stuck. It is a different spin on Mentors and was inspired by Bill O’Hanlon.
About three years ago whilst Bill O’Hanlon was over for one of his training workshops with us, the three of us were sitting in the conservatory looking out onto the garden. It was in the evening, and we had just finished eating. Bill began chivvying me about getting my pen to paper and I was coming up with the usual reasons for not doing it. This got him talking about the workshop he was devising for would-be writers. As ever he was extremely enthusiastic. Then he comes up with “You are NLP people. What do you think I should be including in my workshop?”
I thought of how I responded to the idea of writing a book. Bill at this stage had only published about 18 books, so was slightly ahead of me. He obviously had something different going for him. So quick as a flash I said “Submodalities!” “How do you mean?” he replied. “Well when you think of writing a book, what do you see?”
His hand stretched forwards and held up his fore finger and thumb. “It’s about thickness.” he said. “When I get a sense of how thick the book will be, I know how long it will be, the number of chapters involved, and the time it’ll take to do it. This way I know how ready I am.”
For me, it was no stretched hand or gap between finger and thumb. It was a 10 ton weight resting on my head! I would have to do something if words were ever going to get onto paper.
So it led me to thinking – asking people from their own specialism to comment on your situation is a way of drawing on resources beyond your own narrowness of focus.
So here is a chance to draw on your natural understanding – much of which you have either overlooked or discounted as being useful – or actually approach a few people from different vocational areas.
- Frame your problem as if you are giving a workshop to address it. For example, you are having difficulty broaching a subject with your mother, you may say to a Policeman,
“I’m doing a workshop on Assertiveness. From your work as a Policeman, what do you think I should include in my training programme?
- Choose at least 6 jobs from this list – and feel free to add to it – so that you draw from as wide a resource pool as possible.
| Policeman
| Physiotherapist
| Rally Driver
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| Downhill Skier
| Hairdresser
| Journalist
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| Nursery Nurse
| Architect
| Financial Investor
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| Builder
| Scout Master
| Actor
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| Tennis Coach
| Fast Bowler
| Gardener
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| Sculptor
| Newsreader
| Lollipop Lady
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| Chef
| Make Up Artist
| Doctor
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| Chess Player
| Nun
| PR Consultant
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| Car Mechanic
| Ornithologist
| Dress Designer |
- Now consider the new information that has come your way. Have you got enough to know what the next step is? If you know you are able to take it, great! If not, spot what is holding you back and go through it again.
I would be delighted to hear from you regarding your experiences of this. Do email me on fran@nlpand.co.uk
All the best
Fran Burgess
Director of Training
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