Aspiring managers from a wide range of disciplines from business coaches, change managers, sales managers and account directors to accountants and actuaries attend hypnotic influence master-classes each year. It’s a way of adding to their communications ‘tool kit’ and building on their intuitive and creative skills.

Benefits in understanding the basic principles of hypnosis:

1.    Improving your general communication skills
2.    Improving your communication skills in relation to specific business areas e.g. presenting, executive and business coaching, sales, consulting, leadership and negotiation
3.    Developing the ability to entertain
4.    Help with issues like ‘smoking’ ‘weight loss’ and ‘confidence’
5.    Personal development and generative change

From a business point of view 1, 2 & 5 are the most relevant; much of business involves communication skills and even a small improvement can make a difference to performance. Personal development and generative change makes a pervasive improvement to the results you produce; if you’re comfortable and true to yourself you’ll tend to work better and automatically influence others in a positive way.

The power of hypnosis:

1.    Hypnosis is natural and is about using resources that we all have
2.    Hypnosis is about developing better conscious/unconscious communication
3.    Hypnosis is normally about helping yourself or others focus your attention or manage your state in a more useful way. There are times to focus away from discomfort and times to develop states that enable you to access more mental resources
4.    ‘Personal connection’ is more important than any technique

You’ve heard it before - the essential factor is the ability to listen and be ever aware of what’s occurring.

The Hypnosis Skill Set:

1.    Agreeing outcomes
2.    Managing your emotional state
3.    Developing rapport
4.    Use of language, including rhythm and tone as well as the impact of words
5.    The impact of stories
6.    Specific techniques

These are many of the basic skills that anyone involved in ‘influence’ will already have developed or partially developed. It is also why learning about hypnosis can help those who rely on communicating effectively in business,

Learning about hypnosis is a valuable aid to improving your communication skills. As with any skill the more you practice the better you get. Learning and communicating with others involves learning about yourself; this needs personal courage. The rewards, however, are significant. It is not essential to become an expert hypnotist to increase your communication and intuition skills.

The next ‘Hypnotic influence’ course will be run by PPI Business NLP in October 2005. However if you are interested in further background information a number of recommended books can be found on: http://www.ppi-nlp-store.com/hypnosis-books.htm

An excellent CD 'Ericksonian hypnotic language patterns' is available and well worth investing in at $58. It provides an introduction to the top hypnotic language patterns by Doug O’Brien. Available from http://www.nlp-cds.co.uk/Doug-O-Brien.htm