NLP Courses - are they worth it?

[ladypol]

Hi Everyone,
I was due to do an NLP practitioners course in a couple of weeks time and they've just called to say they are having to postpone it. Unfortunately the new date they've offered isn't possible for me due to work. I was lucky enough that work were going to pay for it and I daresay they will pay for a similar course at some time in the future. However, the delay has made me ask some questions- namely do I need a course? I've read a lot about NLP and tried out many of the things I've read about.
I was going to do the course so that I could have the certificate and use  it if I ever did go into coaching.
Thoughts anyone?

[martinwhite]

I think it depends on your learning style.

I know many people who can learn very well just from reading books. It works for them but not for me. I tend to need a more experiential basis to it, such as a course. (In fact, Kolb's Experiential Learning cycle is the general basis for adult teaching in a lot of institutions in the UK)

At a course, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and try out the new skills instead of simply reading about them. Personally I like courses for the separation from the rush of everyday life and interruptions, the rapport with other learners, and the overall experience. Of course there are good and bad NLP courses; Nick Kemp has written a set of questions which help to choose. Personally, I think "who better to learn NLP from than the co-creator and two of his favourite trainers? (Michael Neill and Paul McKenna)" although I've never been on an NLP practitioner course. I hope to change that soon.

Honey and Mumford (UK) determined four learning styles, I have illustrated them here in the event or scenario of assembling Ikea furniture.....

Activists - Manual? What Manual? Scatter the contents all over the floor and start assembly with the most likely looking bits.Gets there in the end but also equally likely to get bored halfway through. Often build it three times before finally getting it the right way around. Might have some bits left over.
Theorists - Read the manual cover to cover, lay out all the screws in a line on the floor and counts them before beginning, and methodically build step by step. Constructs theories on the inner workings as they build. Might appear anal (as my wife told me :-)
Reflectors - Likely to build the furniture, looking at the manual only when necessary. Might well look back on what lessons were learned but only when it's completed. Might even prefer to watch you build one first. Doesn't want you to watch them build theirs.
Pragmatists - Speed reads the manual and has theirs assembled before the Reflector even has the box open.

[ladypol]

Thanks for the response.
I *know* that I would certainly feel more motivatd if I were to do a course as I feel that NLP is something that you do need to experience rather than just read about. However, having been frustrated by the course being cancelled and not being able to afford or justfy the cost to my boss of Michael and Pauls' course, I guess I'm just feeling stuck and frustrated.
Does anyone know of a good, reasonably priced practitioners or business NLP course running in the Midlands?

[nick kemp]

Not the Midlands, but just up the road in Leeds we run SNLP Bandler certificated NLP Prac and Master Prac trainings with a maximum of 30 attendees on each training. My co trainer Tina Taylor heads up the assisting team on all the London events and like myself teaches the very latest NLP from RB. We get people from all over the UK and the current event which is fully booked has people from as far south as Kent!
The NLP Prac is held over two lots of 3 days and this year the price is ?999 plus vat which includes certification. More details are here at

http://www.tranceformingnlp.com/nlp_practitioner_training_seminar_leeds_uk.php

I always advise people to speak to the course trainers prior to deciding on attending an event and for this reason you can check out the interviews from a number of different NLP trainers from all schools of NLP at www.nlpmp3.com

Finally if you have any questions feel free to contact me and I will do my best to answer them!

[Diva Eve]

Hi there,
courses are as good as the people teaching them.
go and see michael in the Paul Mckenna training one, or Chris Howard does a free one- I can get you a free ticket if you wish.
Always get recommendations. most courses are rather pricey but if they are good, it's definately worth it.
information is what it's about...don't do it for a certificate. the certificate is worthless. if you wanted to go into coaching, I recommend working with a coach, lots of training and great experience. I work with people who walk their talk, not who hold the most certificates.
Personally I work as a Personal coach and NLP practioner in London, always happy to advise-
What is it you would like to get out of it?

[nick kemp]

I would suggest that information is useful, but not the whole story. Different people attend courses for a variety of reasons and trainers have different styles. I don't have personal experience of the Howard courses, but I did have a client who paid a fair amount for one and then realised that a substantial number of the group had "complimentary tickets" from various affiliates to boost the seminar numbers!

My suggestion is similar to Steve Andreas's advice during a recent interview which is to speak to the trainers before deciding and/or see some samples of them in action before deciding to part with any money regardless of the amount involved...