NLP with Sheep
Download this pdf and read our article about NLP with sheep - published in RAPPORT magazine October 2011
Using sheep was a beer mat idea. With the help of Chris Farnsworth, an experienced shepherd with a deep interest in people and NLP, it is a unique experience. Together we work with groups of between four and twelve people and the first task is to round up a small flock of sheep without the help of a dog.
This is a great team building exercise with established teams and it also works brilliantly with groups of people who have never met before. It draws out many levels of learning around communication, watching the expert, team working and leadership (or lack of it!). These are ‘wild’ animals and are reluctant to be penned – they have plenty of opportunity to escape and run to test the resilience of the group in achieving the task. Plenty of strategies don’t work, the field is re-defined and the approach continually adjusted.
Fire walking and board breaks are powerful tools commonly used on NLP courses to help transform fear and to inspire people to do things they initially didn't think possible. Instead of hot coals, we use sheep!
Participants often worry about working with the sheep, as for most people it is outside their area of experience. However, by the end of the session, they discover that their limitations may simply be the result of self-limiting beliefs and fears. They can then apply these insights to situations in their lives where they would like to make changes. To date, without exception and whatever the prior level of fear and apprehension, every participant has demonstrated their new skill and accomplished more than they expected.
We can design a one or two day experience for your team or a group of people from your organsiation. Just get in touch to find out more and chat about your requirements.
As part of the NLP Practitioner course we spend a morning working with Chris and his sheep.The small flock are close to Devizes and after a morning in the fresh air, what better than a pub lunch in a nearby village!
Working with the sheep gives a unique opportunity to take a closer look at communication skills. You will notice how people pay attention to different things, depending upon their filters and modalities.
You will also learn more about modelling as we find out what makes a shepherd sucessful. Chris will captivate you with his knowledge, skills, values and beliefs as you learn about the environment in which a shepherd works and the role of the shepherd in the welfare of the animals. The learnings to take away from this are about how to be excellent in your chosen area of life in whatever way that is important for you.
We also offer this great experience as a team building day, with a combination of outdoor and training room activities. There are various learning activities that we can design as bespoke experiences for you and your team, depending upon the outcomes that your require. Just get in touch to find out more.
