http://www.beyourownguru.com/images/press2lg.gif
This ‘appears’ to be reporting an example of NLP modelling and in this case the relationship between falcons and falconers. Is this feasible do you think and would the lessons be pertinent to the business environment?
I ask because I have trained and flown birds of prey myself and have some views on this issue but would be interested to hear from others who might well be better informed in this area.
Garry Platt
2 Responses
Dr Doolittle
Garry
I think there is much we can learn from our connections with animals and birds. The Join-Up techniques used by Monty Roberts in working with horses translate well into human relations, for example. I think that issues such as cooperative relationships, communication, trust, leadership, rapport, behavioural skill all have interspecies parallels to those in human relations.
I can see that this example could be viewed as connecting with NLP ideas of modelling but I’d prefer to view it in connection with the original source theories such as behaviourism, social learning theory (based on observation and modelling), Symbolic Convergence Theory, Bateson’s linking of anthropology and linguistics, etc.
Some may find it hard to see the direct relevance to a business environment but I think there is great potential to learn about the nuances and artistry of connecting and communicating that can be hard to do well in a course or elearning environment.
Running events which involve learning with and from animals can be seen as a bit unconventional but done well they can help reach the parts that other methods cannot reach.
Interesting!
Graham
Animal Magic
Apologies Gerry, not better informed in this area, but think it is interesting.
I have talked about the fight/flight instinct with participants on courses over the years. In these discussions people acknowledge that instinctive responses underpin a lot of behaviours. We may have evolved the capacity for higher level thinking, but a trip through any UK town centre on a Friday night would probably illustrate how far we still have to go.
Olivia’s interaction with the falcons and Monty Roberts with his horses says something about the value of recognising and working with instinctive behaviours. I find myself drawn to ‘The Dog Whisperer’ on the tv. The trainer, Cesar Milan, has a fascinating ability to manage the behaviours of dogs by getting the owners to understand what is happening and turn it to their advantage. What gets me about it is the simplicity of the techniques. With shelves in Waterstones bending under the weight of ‘management’ books, I can’t help wonder if another human tendency is to over-complicate. Maybe the next management development day should be a trip to the woods, but not for paint ball.
Colin