How to Coach Yourself and Others Beware of Manipulation | Page 218

It is said that Milton Erickson could hypnotize anybody. Richard Bandler and John Grinder developed
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a special approach to communication, personal development,
and psychotherapy based on the techniques used by Milton Erickson.

Here’s how you can put Milton Erickson’s techniques into practice:
6.1. Target somebody and get to know their inner world.
At the start, mostly, you don’t know anything
about their values. So you have to be careful: stick
to what you see (appearance, clothes, …) and
return the information they are giving you. When
connecting this information to such abstract things
as their feelings and opinions, be vague. Let their
own imagination fill in the gaps. The deeper the
rapport, the more they will trust what you say.
Instinctively, they will then complete the vague
images that you are offering with content that is
meaningful to them and which they will agree with.
This will further deepen the established rapport and
make them more receptive to what you are saying.
If you say, “On my way here, I saw this beautiful,
green Jaguar”, they might think that a green Jaguar
is not what they consider being a beautiful car.
This would weaken and possibly break the rapport.
If, on the other hand, you just say: “On my way
here, I saw this beautiful car”, that would probably
help them to feel as if