Different Perspectives

In a nutshell!

In this NLP mental technique you mentally review (or preview) a situation from a number of different standpoints in order to enrich your appreciation of what is involved. (In NLP it has traditionally been called 'Perceptual Positions' and is one of the skills explored in our NLP Core Skills training.)

Why use this

• Enables you to think more flexibly and creatively.
• Improves your understanding of other people.
• Provides an opportunity to stand back and consider issues dispassionately
• Helps you appreciate the influence of your verbal and non-verbal behaviour on others, and the influence of their behaviour on you.

How to use Different Perspectives

Use it to review an interaction with another person - or to prepare for a forthcoming one.

Do two rounds. The first round provides insights into the current situation. The second round enables you to benefit from the insights gained in the first round - while mentally 'wiring in' the learnings.

1st Perspective

See the situation through your own eyes. You are primarily aware of your own thoughts and feelings. Enables you to consider your own needs.

2nd Perspective

Imagine what it is like to be the other person. Put yourself in their shoes - as if you are looking back at yourself, seeing, hearing, and feeling as the other person.

3rd Perspective

Take a detached viewpoint. Imagine you are looking at yourself and the other person 'over there' - seeing the two of them speaking, gesturing etc. Pay particular attention to non-verbal behaviour such as the body language and the sound of their voices. Then consider, as a result of taking this view, what advice you wish to give 'yourself' about how you are handling the situation.

The 2nd Round

Now repeat the process using the advice/learnings from the first round. Run through it with the new behaviours - first as yourself, then as the other person, and finally the detached view.

Finally, think of up-coming events in which these insights may be useful. Mentally run through these while imagining that you are incorporating your new learnings.

Applications

How about doing this for a minute or two after just one interaction daily. Consider how your communicating will improve after a month of doing this...