NLP originally started as a hybrid of clinical hypnotherapy, systems =
theory as applied to family dynamics and counseling, information =
science, linguistics, and oddly enough, math (one of the co-founders was =
a mathematician), although, like every profoundly useful thing, it has =
evolved rapidly since it was founded (in the early to mid seventies, if =
I remember correctly, in California, of course. Santa Cruz, to be =
prcise).
NLP was developed by John Grinder (a linguist) and Richard Bandler (a =
mathematician) while studying (in effect benchmarking) the most =
effective agents/facilitators of permanent, effective personal change, =
in this case (1) Milton Erickson, a psychiatrist and clinical =
hypnotherapist who did ground-breaking work on the de-mystification of =
hypnosis and the links between hypnosis, communication, and info theory; =
(2) Virginia Satir, who was making huge breakthroughs by applying =
systems theory to psychology, and (3) Fritz Perls, the Founder of =
Gestalt therapy, and (4) Gregory Bateson, a well known anthropologist. =20
At the core of NLP are a few basic hypotheses (human brains are =
hardwired more or less the same in most people, there are only a few =
basic modes to operate the brain in (based on which sense is taking up =
the most clock cycles at the moment) etc.) and, underlying it all, the =
basic idea that there is a powerful, transparent, modelling =
strategy/methodology (a model for modeling, or "meta-model"; this is =
where the mathematician did his stuff) which is relatively easy to =
impart to others (and has the advantage that you only need to learn it =
once) which then allows the holder of the strategy to quickly model, =
duplicate, acquire, (and improve) any ability he can observe in someone =
else.
What gave these guys a big chunk of credibility was that, by using this =
modeling methodology, they were able not only to quickly equal *and =
surpass* the abilities of the master therapists they were studying, but =
also to explain a great deal of what these experts were doing =
unconsciously, (things the experts themselves had not been able to =
transfer to their students very well before because although they could =
do it brilliantly themselves, they couldn't explain how to others). =
Most of all, the model's ability to explain *why* a given technique was =
effective, and it's predictive ability to improve or generate even =
better techniques, made folks all over the world sit up and pay =
attention to what would otherwise have been just another weird idea from =
California, that started a weird movement only Californians would =
join....
Bandler and Grinder went off to do their own things more than a decade =
ago, but not before training a bunch of NLP practicioners and stoking =
them up with huge doses of curiousity as to how the meta-model could be =
applied to other aspects and areas of life. Both of them got tired of =
the therapeutic, remedial idea quickly, and instead wanted to do =
creative, generative stuff, taking good things and making them great =
rather than just fixing dysfunctional folks. =20
They left behind a few well known "disciples", (for example Tony =
Robbins, who uses the meta-model in his introductory seminar to =
replicate, in your average Joe Six-pack modern american, the ancient =
shaman's ability to walk barefoot on red-hot coals without getting =
burned) as well as a host of other brilliant users of the meta-model, =
not so well known unless you stay up to date with the latest work being =
done in the field.
There are two reasons you should know about NLP: First, it can =
function as a people manipulator par excelance, and thus for the same =
reason people should be aware of memetics, they should be aware of NLP. =
Second, it's just plain incredibly useful.
You can find a nicely summarized history and background data on NLP at:- =
http://www.nlp.com/nlp/whats-nlp.html
There are a great number of good books on the subject out there. Start =
at:- http://www.nlp.com/nlp/books.html=20
For info on who's who in the NLP community, check out:- =
http://www.nlp.com/nlp/people.html
For some of the latest cool stuff, do a search of NLP and DHE
Hope that helps....
- iban.