How do we communicate?

One of the basic and first things NLP students learn is how to improve communication skills. For us, teachers, this is a topic of great importance as our jobs depend mainly on the level of rapport we can establish with our students (and their parents!).
In Module 1 of the Practitioner Certificate participants learn, among other things,

• Ways to improve non-verbal communication

• Ways to open their senses to be more perceptive to what other people are communicating non-verbally and non-consciously

• Ways to become aware of what we are saying with our whole being, not only with words

• The expressive aspect, the relational aspect ,the appealing aspect of messages

• The role of intonation, voice and silence

• Posture, movement and proxemics (optimal distance and personal space)
We also explore the basic presuppositions of NLP and the origin and history of NLP. We “visit “ our brains to see how they work and the importance of brain friendly techniques in the classroom. We also do very practical activities to learn how to establish rapport with both smail and big groups.

Why do we insist so much on Body Language?

Because....

We always use body language!

Looking at someone for example means something completely different than not looking at someone. Even our very presence conveys a message. In our contact with other people it is impossible not to communicate. Several investigators estimate that a great part of the communication between people takes place through body language and tone of voice. The best known theory is that of the American psychologist Mehrabian.
Another point to take into account when we communicate with others is how we listen to them. Do we just hear what they say or are we there with them, present in body, mind and soul to listen attentively what they are telling us?



"I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen."
Ernest Hemingway

Most communication problems start because at least one of the people involved in the communication exchange is not actively listening to the other. By listening, we dont only mean listening to the words...we are also referring to all the non-verbal aspects of communication.
What happens to many people is that instead of focussing on the other person’s message they are planning in their head what they are going to say next...and they drift away in thought. Sadly, this leaves the communication exchange with two people speaking about something, but not really relating with each other.
Listening with all your being is a valuable communication skill. Simply remember a time when you felt that a person wasn't really listening to you, to understand the importance of listening.
If you want to improve your professional and personal communication, a very clever idea is to learn ways to do it efficiently and in a positive manner. You will notice a great change in the way you relate with colleagues, students, parents and people in general.
Laura Szmuch