Robert Dilts Review Robert's Trainer's and Consultancy Program - June 17 to July 7, 2002 Review by Ariane Cap
There is just something about the ocean view, crisp morning fog, shedded snake skins you find and the deer grazing in front of the class room that makes you want to hug those tall redwoods. Set in this beautiful scenery of the University of California at Santa Cruz Robert Dilts, Judith DeLozier and Teresa Epstein hosted this year's NLPU Trainer's Training.
And the setting is not a coincidence - it was here that NLP was born.
38 participants from all continents had gathered - in fact, I was the only American participant of the Trainer's Training, and as an Ex-Austrian since 4 years I am not sure I fully count as an American.
Diversity of nationality and culture as well as training backgrounds and disciplines made working in small groups and presenting to each other all the more intriguing.
Core of the training was certainly presenting. States, dealing with hecklers, exercise design, needs analysis,........ If I were to list the three biggest learnings for me in this training I'd say:
Sponsorship through Robert and Judy is an empowering experience. Both being extremely approachable, very sensitive in their choice of demonstration subjects, keeping an eye on everyone's well being, giving feedback that draws out the best in you, they gave each and every one of us a deep sense of being seen as who we are (Identity/belief/capability level fluctuations and new-discoveries - as with these trainings and NLP in general frequent - included!).
What made the final presentations so great was that every single one of us was shining. Being and surprising ourselves. Discovering qualities in ourselves that we thought we didn't have. As Judy puts it "I am just being Judy."
Feedback was given in form of "fish" (of course there was a story to that, about dolphins) - written pieces of paper that were handed to each other. At first only "positive" feedback was allowed, then also encouragement for the new/different in well formed language ("you could do more/less of X...").
In good old NLP - "How-do-you-know" manner assessment took place. How do you know when somebody knows how/when to anchor, metamodel, be in raport etc. We learned a lot about our unconscious competencies (again, dear Richard...) assessing each other, using the T.O.T.E. on our presentations or sharpening our calibration acuities.
In fact a whole new world of NLP opened up to me, the way NLPU organizes the vast amount of NLP knowledge into digestible bites (literally, this is the pastry approach to NLP, the ROLE model, the BAGEL model...). The S.O.A.R. model ensures awareness of perceptual position (1st, 2nd, 3rd), time (present, past future) and logical levels at all times.
The techniques and Diltsisms were a lot less technical than I had heard rumored or anticipated from some of the diagrams from the books. In fact they were very simple, straight to the point and usability. The background of the participants in terms of NLP were mannigfold. Some had gone through the NLPU Practitioner/Masterpractitioner trainings, but there were also students of many other institutes. You could certainly tell from which train of thought the participants came from (especially in case of Tony Robbins' afficionados!).
The trainers managed to encorporate all models of NLP nicely, whereas in a trainer's training the main focus is on presenting (process) more than on content. Parallel to the Trainer's Training the Practitioner course was held, Robert and Judith plus guest trainers (Suzie Smith, Sid Jacobsen, Linda Fudolt, Michael Colgrass) smoothly switched back and forth between the two rooms. On some occasions the practitioners and the trainers were trained together - both groups with different agendas.
As the trainers were modelling Robert or Judy the practitioners were being trained. On other occasions the trainers worked with the practitioners directly, assessing their skills and presenting to them. Mentoring groups were formed at the beginning of the training (trainers plus practitioners) that worked together throughout the three weeks.
We all had a "secret friend" who we would secretly surprise with little notes, remarks on the board, presents etc. And we had guardian angels in the audience firing our favorite anchors and putting wind under our wings while presenting.
And of course there were planned and spontaneous parties, beach trips, downtown shopping sprees and visits to the Mystery Spot. All this and the shared learnings, self discoveries and processing lay foundations to beautiful new friendships.
In the evenings participants from both groups presented, from Quantum Physics, curing Eye Sight through Magic Eyes techniques, to presentation skills with technology, to an NLP Clown sketch (still laughing!) and so much more... some visual external impressions at www.nlpu2002.com put together by practitioner Johannes Reichert.
Ariane is a leading member of the Executive coaching network
Member of the SNLP
