John Grinder PhD

“Creative geniuses are: 1) Comfortable with uncertainty 2) Able to hold seeming opposites or paradoxes 3) Persistent”

Influence on SDC Framework Focus

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) was born out of a therapeutic behavioral modeling project in the early 1970’s. The approach quickly became known for its transformative results and innovative approaches.

A self-actualization movement was born when three collaborations between John Grinder and Richard Bandler were rushed to press in 1977. These publications laid the foundations for NLP–a then-revolutionary, and still studied, brand of personal development psychology tools.

As NLP developed and grew in popularity, it began to be criticized for its reliance on unconventional terminology, ambiguous methods descriptions, and generally difficult to describe techniques, making NLP resistant to study. The heavy commercialization of NLP has also been a source of controversy. Despite extensive reports of its efficacy, including our own, NLP has been resistant to empirical scientific validation.

Acknowledging the validation difficulties of NLP, Self Directed Change has relied on the work of other psychologists whose methods and techniques have been validated to form the basis of the SCD Master (SDCM) Frameworks. Nevertheless, within SDCM, we hold NLP as a welcome partner and offer SDCM tools, which are applied throughout our body of work.

Several elements of NLP offer us useful approaches to support coaches, therapists, and health professionals in their pursuit of an aligned practice that is easy to run and gets great results. Some examples of techniques we incorporate from NLP include outcome orientation, in which we seek well-formed outcomes, as well as rapport and communication strategies.

SDCM’s use of NLP aligns with NLP’s origins as a modeling framework designed to support desirable therapeutic outcomes. We can safely say NLP principles are used adjunctively and applied selectively to complement and enhance desirable outcomes in coaching and therapy. Thus we assign NLP’s role as an adjunct toolkit, rather than a standalone solution, or protocol.

Key Contributions and Concepts

Dr John Grinder's background in linguistics played an important role in developing NLP's theoretical framework and practical applications. Grinder's work in NLP has had a significant impact on psychology, therapy, education, and business. He and Ridhard Bandler worked together to develop techniques for modeling expert behaviors and communication patterns, which form the core of NLP practice. His approach to understanding and replicating successful strategies has influenced how professionals approach personal development, communication, and behavioral change.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming

In the early 1970s, along with Richard Bandler, Grinder developed Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) as an approach to understanding and modifying human behavior patterns. John Grinder, a linguist, collaborated with Richard Bandler, a psychology student at the University of California, Santa Cruz. They began by studying and modeling the techniques of successful therapists such as Fritz Perls (Gestalt therapy), Virginia Satir (family therapy), and Milton Erickson (hypnotherapy). Their goal was to identify patterns of excellence in communication and therapy that could be replicated and taught to others. This initial work led to the publication of their first books, "The Structure of Magic" Volumes I and II (1975, 1976), which laid the foundation for NLP methodology.

The methods they developed were focused on the way communication is used in therapy and applied to behavior change techniques. NLP is based on the idea that there is a connection between neurological processes, language, and behavioral patterns learned through experience. The core principle of NLP is that these patterns can be identified and altered to achieve specific goals in life and therapy.

NLP is based on several core assumptions or presuppositions that guide its methods and practices. Here are a few of the key ones:

The map is not the territory: People perceive the world through their own subjective experiences (their "map"), which may not accurately reflect reality ("the territory"). Understanding and improving this map can lead to better outcomes.
Experience has structure: Human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors follow patterns. By identifying and modifying these patterns, individuals can change their experiences and behaviors.
If one person can do something, others can learn to do it: Success leaves clues. By modeling the behaviors, strategies, and thought processes of successful people, others can achieve similar results.
All behavior has a positive intention: Even seemingly negative behaviors serve some purpose or positive intention for the person. By addressing the underlying intention, one can find healthier or more effective ways to achieve the same result.
People have all the resources they need: Individuals possess the internal resources required to make positive changes. NLP techniques help uncover and access these resources.
Communication is more than just words: Effective communication includes verbal and non-verbal elements, such as body language, tone, and expressions. How a message is received is as important as how it is delivered.

The meaning of communication is the response you get: Communication success is measured by the effect it has on the other person. If the response is not as intended, the communicator should adjust their approach.
There is no failure, only feedback: Mistakes and setbacks are opportunities to learn and improve. By viewing them as feedback rather than failure, people can continually adapt and grow.

These assumptions form the foundation for many of the techniques used in NLP, which aim to improve communication, personal growth, and problem-solving.

Meta Model

The Meta Model is a linguistic tool developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler as part of NLP. It is designed to identify and challenge language patterns that may reflect limiting beliefs in a person's thinking. The Meta Model is based on the idea that language both reflects and shapes our internal representations of the world. By identifying and questioning specific language patterns, the Meta Model aims to help individuals recover deleted, distorted, or generalized information in their statements, thereby expanding their understanding and options for behavior.

The Meta Model process involves identifying and challenging three main categories of language patterns:

Deletions: Information that has been left out of the statement.

Example: "I'm afraid."
Challenge: "Afraid of what specifically?"

Distortions: Misrepresentations or misinterpretations of reality.

Example: "He made me angry."
Challenge: "How specifically did his actions cause your anger?"

Generalizations: Universal quantifiers or statements that lack specific referential index.

Example: "Everyone always ignores me."
Challenge: "Everyone? Always? Can you think of a time when someone didn't ignore you?"

The practitioner listens for these patterns in the client's speech and uses specific questions to challenge them, encouraging the client to provide more specific, accurate, and complete information. This process aims to help the client gain new perspectives and uncover hidden resources or solutions.

Modeling

Modeling Excellence is a fundamental concept in NLP developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler. It involves the systematic study and replication of the cognitive and behavioral patterns of individuals who demonstrate exceptional skills or abilities in a particular area.

The core idea is that by carefully observing and analyzing the internal and external processes of high performers, one can identify the specific strategies, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to their success. These patterns can then be codified and taught to others, allowing them to achieve similar levels of excellence. Modeling Excellence is based on the premise that success leaves clues and that human excellence has a structure that can be understood and replicated.

Modeling Excellence is particularly useful for developing training programs, improving personal performance, and solving complex problems by leveraging the strategies of those who have already achieved success in a given area.
Modeling Excellence generally includes these steps:

Identify the exemplar: Select an individual or group that consistently demonstrates the desired skill or behavior at an exceptional level.
Gather information: Observe the exemplar in action, conduct interviews, and if possible, experience the skill from their perspective. Pay attention to:

External behaviors: Actions, gestures, and verbal patterns,
Internal processes: Thought patterns, beliefs, and values,
Strategies: The sequence of internal and external actions that lead to success.

Elicit the structure: Break down the observed patterns into discrete, replicable steps. This may involve:

Identifying key decision points
Mapping out the sequence of internal representations (visual, auditory, kinesthetic)
Uncovering underlying beliefs and values that support the behavior

Test the model: Apply the extracted model yourself or have others try it to verify its effectiveness.
Refine and simplify: Identify the essential elements of the model and remove any unnecessary components to create a streamlined, teachable version.
Teach and transfer: Develop a training program or methodology to transfer the modeled skills to others. This may involve creating exercises, mnemonics, or step-by-step guides.
Evaluate and iterate: Assess the results of those who learn the modeled skill and make adjustments to the model as necessary.

For example, if modeling a successful public speaker, you might observe their body language, analyze their speech patterns, interview them about their preparation process, and even attempt to deliver a speech using their approach. You would then break down these elements into teachable components, such as specific gestures, voice modulation techniques, and mental preparation strategies. Finally, you would assess the speakers who you taught and make adjustments to the model to improve speech performance.

Creation of New Code NLP:

Grinder later developed "New Code NLP," which focuses on accessing high-performance states rather than working on individual behaviors. This approach aims to provide people with more choices and has been influential in the self-help industry.

Biography

John Thomas Grinder Jr. was born on January 10, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan. Not much is known about his childhood.

In the early 1960’s he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of San Francisco. After graduation, Grinder joined the United States Army, serving as a Green Beret in Europe during the Cold War. His military service was followed by a stint as an operative for a U.S. intelligence agency.

In the late 1960s, Grinder returned to academia, pursuing linguistics at the University of California, San Diego. He received his Ph.D. in 1971, specializing in Chomskyan linguistics.

His expertise in syntax and transformational grammar would later prove instrumental in the development of NLP. Following his doctoral studies, Grinder became an assistant professor of linguistics at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1972.

It was at UC Santa Cruz that Grinder met Richard Bandler, a psychology student. Their collaboration began when Bandler invited Grinder to participate in his therapy groups. Fascinated by the linguistic patterns used by effective therapists, they started modeling the language and behavioral patterns of renowned therapists such as Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir, and Milton H. Erickson.

This work laid the foundation for what would become NLP. In the years following NLP's inception, Grinder continued to develop and refine the methodology. He has authored numerous books on NLP and its applications, conducted workshops worldwide, and worked as a consultant applying NLP principles in organizational settings.

In recent years, Grinder has focused on developing "New Code NLP" with his partner, Carmen Bostic St. Clair, aiming to address perceived limitations in the original NLP model.