What do Beavers and NLP Have In Common?

By David Morley recent participant on my Introduction to NLP & Personal Effectiveness At Work courses !!

David's Summary of the course...in beaver form !!

Beavers are the architects of the animal world – these dam-building rodents are formidable tree fellers, river changers and wetland creators.

The beaver is a keystone species and one of nature’s most awesome ecological engineers. A properly managed reintroduction of this species means they can have a positive effect on their environment through their behaviour, allowing an abundance and diversity of life to flourish.

Beaver-created wetlands act as sponges, resulting in constant flows and retaining water during droughts, and reducing the chance of flash flooding. They prevent soil erosion from fields, trap carbon and nutrients, thereby reducing he effects of harmful chemicals such as pesticides, in turn improving water quality downstream.

In some ways the humble beaver might be seen as a metaphor for NLP:

·???????NLP is an architect for a healthier mind and more productive ideas.

·???????There is a lot more going on under the waterline than above it.

·???????NLP ‘gnaws’ away the ‘undesired’ preconceptions of the person, allowing the growth of new vigorous ideas that support not only the person, but also the other people around them.

·???????The pre-suppositions* could be seen as the branches used to build the dam and the lodge, providing the framework for the structure that traps unwanted thoughts and allows the controlled flow of desired healthier habits and thinking.

·???????Understanding how to manage the introduction of the NLP ideas is vital in creating the desired landscape.

·???????The landscape created not only supports the person, but also the other people and organisations that exist around them

* The Pre-suppositions of NLP are resourceful beliefs and attitudes that when applied to ourselves and others, improve our self-esteem and more effective relationships. They are seen as one of the key building blocks of NLP.