Is it Possible to Predict People's Behavior Using NLP?

Wouldn’t it be great to own a crystal ball?

I mean, what if you could look into a crystal ball and predict the way people would react in these situations:

• Friendships and Relationships
• Business management
• Negotiation
• Sales
• Education
• Family life

Of course, everyone knows that crystal balls don’t exist, right? Or do they…

The NLP Crystal Ball

Actually, we’ve got something that’s almost as good. They’re called Meta Programs in NLP.

I know, it’s another meta word in NLP. Big surprise.

Meta Programs are very similar to programs on the computer. Computers are very predictable You click on a program, and it runs – the same way every time.

Well, the same thing is true in certain respects with we humans.

I’m going to share with you five automatic programs people run that can help you to predict people’s behavior and preferences, and to use it all to be more influential and persuasive.

 

Meta Programs

The first four meta programs in NLP are based on the Meyers-Briggs personality test, and have been made easier to test by asking about them conversationally.

1. External Behavior

This filter determines whether a person is an introvert or an extrovert. Knowing this will help you predict whether a person will be interested in certain activities, and will help you be more persuasive by using the information to your advantage.

Question: When it’s time to recharge your batteries, do you prefer to be by yourself or with other people?

Introvert: Introverts will tend to want to be by themselves when it comes to recharging, and make up about 25% of the population. They will often be motivated by smaller, more intimate meetings.

Extrovert: Extroverts will tend to want to be with others when it comes to recharging They make up about 75% of the population. They will often be attracted to meetings and events with lots of people (parties, mixers, etc)

2. Internal Process

This filter describes how we focus our attention, whether on possibilities for the future, or on concrete facts and practical logic about the here-and-now.

Question: If you were going to study a subject, would you be more interested solely in the facts about the here-and-now, or more about the ideas and relationships between things, and how it all applies to the future?

Intuitor: These folks will be more interested in ideas, possibilities and the relationship of them all and how they relate to the future. These are the dreamers, the poets, the visionaries. Intuitors think that sensors lack vision and creativity. Intuitors make up about 25% of the population.

Sensor: Sensors are influenced by facts and logic. They will think that Intuitors have their heads “in the clouds,” and that their ideas are too dreamy. Intuitors make up about 25% of the population.

3. Internal State

This filter determines whether a person is primarily associated (in touch with their feelings and basing decisions on them) or dissociated (considers facts and reason in making all decisions).

Question: When you make a decision, do you rely more on impartial reason and logic, or more on personal values?

Feeler: This group will focus more on personal values and feelings and will make their decisions based on those qualities. They tend to make judgments and decisions subjectively and personally. They are often more interested in how something makes them feel now, and are often associated to the past and how things affected them previously. The future is often not “real” to the Feelers. Feelers make up about 50% of the population.

Thinker: This group will focus more on impartial facts, logic and reason. They tend to make judgments objectively and impersonally. They see time objectively, and generally view it in a dissociated way. They focus on principles, policies and laws when making decisions, and often not on how those decisions affect others. Thinkers make up about 50% of the population.

4. Adaptive Response

This Meta Program tells us how people interact with their environment – whether they try to adapt to their environment, or regulate it.

Question: If we were doing a project together, would you prefer it be planned, orderly and structured, or would you prefer that we be more flexible and spontaneous?

Judgers: This group attempts to mold the environment to their needs, and to control and regulate events. Judgers value completion, and hate things that are left undone. A true Judger can only read one book at a time. They like daytimers, and use them rigorously. They will often scowl at you if you’re two minutes late for a meeting. They are highly motivated by completing the steps of a process. Judgers make up about 50% of the population.

Perceivers: This group attempts to adapt to their environment and “go with the flow.” They value open options, and often resist closure. A true Perceiver will be reading several books at once, and probably will have them laying open in several places at home and at the office. They will resist being “pinned down” on an exact time to meet, and will wonder why the Judger is so uptight – after all, they’re just two minutes late. They are highly motivated by deadlines and will often wait until the last minute to make a decision. Perceivers make up about 50% of the population.

5. Frame of Reference Filter

This filter dictates whether people are more motivated by what others say, or by their own internal intuition.

Question: How do you know you’ve done a good job? Do you just know, or does someone have to tell you?

Internal FoR: This group will answer, “I just know.” They are motivated by their own internal compass, and often either don’t value what “others” say. A person with a strong IFoR will outright reject the status quo.

External FoR: This group will answer, “Someone has to tell me.” Rather than going with their own internal intuition, and seek validation of available options from others. A person with a strong EFoR will often avoid making a decision without clear opinions available.

Using Meta Programs

Wow, that seems like a lot of information, at first glance. And it is, but it’s very useful and powerful.

Begin studying these one at a time. For instance, focus one entire day on asking people about their Internal Behavior, then using that information when you communicate with them. The next day, move on to Internal Process, and keep going until this becomes automatic.

When it does become automatic, you’ll be unstoppable in terms of your persuasive abilities.

Let’s just take two examples and see how we would sell an expensive widget to people with two different Meta Programs.

Extrovert, Intuitor, Feeler, Perceiver, EFoR

Mr. Armstrong, everybody is talking about these widgets. These are adaptable to so many configurations, the possibilities are endless. I know in the past, you’ve been let down by inferior widgets, but just imagine what it will be like when you walk into a huge party over the weekend, and everyone sees you with this widget. This special price is only available today, so let’s get you signed up before they sell out.

Introvert, Sensor, Thinker, Judger

Mr. Armstrong, it doesn’t matter what the critics say. Only you will know if this is the right widget for you. When you think about the applications of this widget, it’s the only logical choice. It’s quite clear that you’ll be able to save a great amount of time with this widget, which will give you more time at home to relax with someone special. Let’s take the next step and get you signed up.

Conclusion

Now, I’ve simplified these a bit for this blog, but you can already see how powerful this will be.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. When you take our Master Practitioner course, you’ll learn over 20 Meta Program, how to ask them conversationally, and how to determine them by watching people’s behaviors.

Just imagine how much more effective you’ll be at everything when you can interact with people in this way.

Posted by Michael Stevenson in NLP on Is it Possible to Predict People's Behavior Using NLP?

Tags: briggs, master practitioner, meta programs, meyers, NLP