NLP and Leadership
NLP and Leadership
When the Indian Emperor Ashoka rose to glory, his leadership skills were the primary reason why he was chosen over the others to succeed his father. His father, Bindusara, had wanted his son Susima to succeed him, but after Bindusara’s death, the ministers felt that Ashoka was a better leader and helped him rise to the throne. Ashoka is known to be a born leader. He had qualities which helped him in different situations where he was able to demonstrate his leadership skill, and in time become popular and more successful than his brothers. These leadership qualities also made him one of the most admired rulers.
While Ashoka had an innate ability to lead, most people, like his brothers, are not born leaders. But that does not mean that most people do not stand the chance of leading effectively. With the help of NLP (NLP and Leadership development program) a person can become consciously aware of their leadership skills, and do equally well. In fact, many of us have the qualities of the leader lying dormant in ourselves, waiting for a spark to kindle the fire. So how can NLP help to ignite that fire, and awaken the leader within?
Understanding NLP – What is NLP?
The answer lies in understanding what NLP is. Neuro Linguistic Programming was coined by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in 1970’s and it focuses on how we can explore the unconscious levels of our mind to develop qualities that can help us communicate more effectively with others and with self for success on a business and personal level. This is why it is helpful for leaders, because not only does it help leaders in making the right business decisions, it also helps in improving personal relationships. A true leader, according to NLP ideologies is one that work with people from different cultures, with diverse perspectives and ensure higher productivity and efficiency of the team by leading from the front.
So what’s in it for Leaders? Why is NLP and Leadership the buzz word these days?
Leaders today are required to motivate people to do their job with passion by being in sync with the organization mission and vision, rather than coerce them into it. They are required to be dynamic and highly flexible to changes because workplaces tend to incorporate new processes very frequently, and higher standards are expected from leaders to adapt and evolve. When this is added to the fact that in this age, leaders have to work in a significantly pressurized environment: meeting stiff organization goals, succeeding in new projects, driving employee satisfaction and cracking deals with the clients. While most of the times, one thing leads to another, like employee satisfaction leads to higher efficiency and better success, leaders have to make sure that they are able to achieve all of it, as a whole. Very often, many people who are into leadership positions in different organizations are not able to cope up with the pressure, and are not able to handle many situations effectively. It can lower the morale of the leaders and may even lead to lower success rate. This is where NLP steps in.
NLP can help leaders unlock their potential, stay motiviated so that they can motivate their employees or their team more effectively. There are a lot of books on NLP that can be used as a guidance, but a good NLP workshop (more so a specific one for NLP and Leadership) is one of the best ways to utilize NLP for better leadership, as that explores NLP and Leadership by doing it, rather than by reading it. A good NLP and Leadership workshop can help you with the following:
• Coaching Skills – A leader inspires many people who work with him/her and those who report to him/her. He/She must have splendid coaching skills to ensure that he/she is able to coach his/her employees effectively by tapping into their own resources, and come up with solutions on their own. A leader with good coaching skills is an asset, as incorporating coaching in their leadership style they can help the employees to develop further.
• Understanding Multiple Perspectives – Leaders have to work with people who have different perspectives. The versatility of his/her team can help him/her complete a project more successfully. But that is only when he/she is able to understand the different perspectives of the people who work with him/her and harness their brainpower to achieve the organizational goals.
• Influencing – Leaders who can influence their employees positively are some of the best leaders that you may come across. While many may not be able to do it automatically, a good NLP and Leadership workshop can help a leader understand more about influence, and how to influence people.
• Time Management – Keeping in mind that time plays an important role for any organization. Whether you are a business owner or a manager or a team leader, businesses require their leaders to manage time effectively, and NLP can help by various Behavior change techniques to improve time management skills further.
• Feedback – It is important for leaders to understand the importance of feedback. This is not just about giving feedback properly, but also receiving it on a positive note. Leaders who can give and receive feedback effectively are the best ones that you may come across.
• Communication Skills – Communicating effectively is important for leaders. This is because they must be able to build a bonding with their employees and they should also be able to create a good rapport with the clients and the leaders of other departments. NLP and Leadership programs helps leaders to enhance their communication skills further, and help them to engage with people more effectively.
These are some of the most basic points that should be covered in an ideal NLP workshop for leaders. By keeping these points in mind, you will be able to become a better leader and enhance your current leadership qualities further. Leadership has become more versatile in the dynamic working environment of today. Considering the challenges leaders face today, leaders have to be innovative, visionary, goal-oriented and ensure that their team proves to be a cohesive forward thinking unit.
By applying the many ideologies of NLP, a person can emerge as a powerful leader. This means that their teams can be more efficient and productive. Good leaders also nurture employees who have leadership qualities so that they can create new leaders as they rise in position. They have to be professional, trust-worthy, and customer focused as well. NLP helps leaders gain the trust of their employees and the clients by communicating effectively, by enhancing rapport and trust. In addition to this NLP also helps leaders understand the physiological aspects of being successful. Their posture, the way they communicate, the actions and the tone they use, which can make an immense difference in their success.
NLP is also used to boost the confidence of leaders and help them stand out among others through their attributes. Leaders who have complete control over their feelings, emotions and development can make a huge difference. In order to grow professionally, leaders must acquire the best attributes of leadership and outshine the others, just like Ashoka did when he succeeded the throne overpowering all his brothers. NLP workshops or programs help you do the same thing, which is to rise to success by using your innate leadership qualities to lead effectively.
