The NLP Field Guide; Part 1. A reference manual of practitioner level patterns by Jules and Chris Collingwood

Preface by Dr. John Grinder and Carmen Bostic St Clair

An extended and heart felt round of applause for the efforts of these two fine representatives of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). They have succeeded in making a significant contribution to the field of NLP in a manner congruent with the excellence that is the focus of NLP work.

In the Collingwoods' field guide, the grateful reader will find comprehensive descriptions of concrete patterns with instructions that permit a reasonably simple mapping from the written word to actual implementation of these patterns Of equal importance, we are offered historical notes identifying the source or sources of the patterning. These context setting remarks place the endeavours captured by the well presented patterning in an historical context, naming the origins of the work by identifying the patterning both by modeller or creator and by place and time. This allows the interested readers to appreciate how specifically, should they so choose, they might further deepen their own investigation into the patterning, the context of discovery and the source of the work. Identifying source creates the possibility of opening a necessary dialogue within the community. Such dialogue could serve as the basis for an open, public and intelligent exchange of ideas among mutually respected investigators. Surely such an activity is a prerequisite for positioning the field of NLP as a legitimate member of the larger scientific community concerned with the study of human behavior and potential.

This is not to say that we are agreement with all the claims nor all the contents of the Collingwoods' field guide, only that Jules and Chris Collingwood have done an admirable job of distilling the patterning into coherent and well organized groupings that permit easy access to the material. Indeed, the differences in our perceptions of NLP and that of the Collingwoods run deep in some areas " even at the level of definition of what NLP is. In others, there is a deeply shared map. But that is not the issue here. Such differences will become manifest to the reader in our forthcoming (October, 2001) book entitled "Whispering in the Wind" where we offer explicit and formal representations that bear directly on these important issues. Such a distillation is a preliminary and necessary first step in stabilizing the subject matter " the patterning " of NLP so that a useful exchange of differences about them can occur within the field. This field guide provides such a reference point and will serve many other purposes as well. It seems to us that in addition to this quite important function " the creation of an initial reference point for important patterns that will form the basis for useful discussions within the field " the field guide in the hands of a disciplined user with the desire and ability to act impeccably offers an excellent guide to beginning the process of mastering some of the most important and powerful patterning thus far captured in NLP.

We should be candid here by mentioning that it is a rare person indeed who is capable of translating words on a page into actions in the world, even when provided such an excellent guide. In fact, in creating this compendium, the Collingwoods have been in part motivated by a desire to develop written material in support of ethically and competently based Practitioner Trainings " their own as well as offering their field guide as a support to others so engaged. From this perceptual position, the guide offers a strong support as an adjunct or workbook for practitioner trainings. With the proliferation of 7 day wonder programs (Practitioner training purporting the turn out practitioners in 7 days) and programs where one may in a relatively short period of time leap gaily from zero (no experience in NLP and its applications) to Trainer for only $$$$, an intelligent guide to practitioner level patterning is to be greatly appreciated. Hopefully it will allows the interested consumer " the potential practitioner " a way of partially evaluating the congruity of some of the different practitioner trainings presently being offered in the marketplace. Marketing techniques and hype such as those displayed by some practitioner training (the 7 day wonders, for example), do a negative service to the tens of thousands of well trained practitioners of NLP as well as the competent designers and trainers of program that actually deliver the patterning in an effective way. Our hope is that this work will serve as an effective guide for such differentiation.

It is instructive to compare this work by the Collingwoods with its natural predecessor "A Framework for Excellence" edited by Charlotte Bretto. Obviously, the two books differ in their coverage of patterning. This is to be expected - with the advantage of some 12 years, the Collingwoods' work includes many new and important patterns developed and published since the publication of Bretto's Framework. Such a difference is predicable. But this new work shines favorably in another aspect " that mentioned above. In their book Turtles All the Way Down, Grinder and DeLozier argue that the codification and diffusion of patterning as patterning has deeply inherent limitations. There they propose that NLP be positioned within a set of contexts "ethical, aesthetic, social, intellectual" The fine use of framing notes that the Collingwoods display in this book is a signal that the key message in Turtles had been well received by them. We recommend this work to you without reservation.

John Grinder Co-creator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Bonny Doon, California December, 2000

Carmen Bostic St. Clair President, QUANTUM LEAP Alamo, California December, 2000

You may use our Order Online facility, or you may...

Link to the Books and Tapes

Link to the Accredited NLP Practitioner Courses

Link to the Government Accreditation of Graduate Certificate in Neuro-Linguistic Programming FAQ

Link to the NLP FAQ