When in Orlando I got the opportunity to present a station on Language and simplifying how to become more effective with it. This month I wanted to discuss the Meta Model and how it can be made simple to understand. Hence, I will explore it's functions, how to use the questions and how to know when to apply it.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE META MODEL

Firstly, the three main functions of the Meta model is to specify information, clarify information and through doing either of these functions to perform a potential third function: to change beliefs.

HOW TO USE THE QUESTIONS OF THE META MODEL

Secondly, there are a variety of questions that constitute the Meta Model.

For statements that are declared as facts but which are really opinions you can ask the question: WHO SAYS? By answering you and taking or giving ownership of the statement the person reveals the statement as an opinion.

For generalisations you can repeat the general expression back with an upward intonation as a question as a challenge for it: EVERY, ALWAYS, NEVER..

For process words that they turn into nouns (things that don't exist in reality but describe an event that occurs) you can ask WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? (Depression, stress, anxiety, success, failure)

For non-specific nouns or verbs you can ask WHAT SPECIFICALLY, WHO SPECIFICALLY, WHERE SPECIFICALLY, WHEN SPECIFICALLY or HOW SPECIFICALLY?

For comparisons you can ask IN WHAT WAY EXACTLY? or THAN WHAT?

For examples when a person assumes they know something that another is thinking or what will happen in the future: HOW DO YOU KNOW?

For examples when a person connects two events or experiences in causal terms. (Event A causes Event B). The challenge could be: HOW DOES A CAUSE B?

For examples when a person connects two events or experiences in equivalence terms. (Event A is the same as Event B). The challenge could be: HOW IS A THE SAME AS B?

Thirdly, you apply the meta model whenever you want more specific or clear information or when you want the person to realise that the ideas they have are not well thought out and are not very accurately based in reality.

For examples, by asking WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY STRESS MANAGEMENT? you can gain a better understanding of what a company is looking for in their trainings. By asking WHO SAYS THAT THIS DEAL IS IMPOSSIBLE? you are getting people to realise that is just a belief that the deal is impossible and thus it can be changed.

When a person assumes his co-workers dislike him, the question HOW DO YOU KNOW? forces him to provide some evidence. Usually the evidence will be in the form of saying one behaviour MEANs that they don't like him (eg. frowning). You could use HOW DOES FROWNING MEAN THEY DON'T LIKE YOU? to reveal that his evidence is not strong enough to hold such a conviction.

The Meta Model allows you to use powerful questions to directionalise the consciousness of a person and thus assists them to finding solutions to problems and gaining useful understandings which will enrich their experience of life. it also allows you to get a clearer understanding of exactly how they think so you can communicate more effectively with them.

You can use the Meta Model in reverse (using the patterns rather than the questions) and when you do that you'll be able to become more 'artfully vague' which will allow you to use words that encourages a person to go inside more and access their own unique experience of the word. Words can be like magic when you learn to use them well. Through using the questions of the Meta Model you get to understand experience more easily and you get to discover the difference between what a person knows and what they think and you can get them thinking more effectively.

To me it's one of the most essential elements of NLP and it's crutical if you wanna get good results that you master it. Once you've mastered it, there are some very cool fine distinctions that allow you to get even more impact. For example, in Johns upcoming seminar: ADVANCED NLP SKILLS, he's revealing some of the coolest language stuff he learned and developed in the 80's and 90's that he hasn't shared in years about using words brilliantly to get powerful results. It's very exclusive and he hasn't done it a long time so it'll be very, very cool.