Recommended reading for ‘Discover the Business Benefits of NLP’ and ‘An Introduction to Leadership through Everyday Conversation’

Introducing Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Joseph O’Connor and John Seymour

This book was one of the first NLP books written in the UK. It is a comprehensive look at the important concepts in NLP and in my opinion is much more than an introduction. It’s written in a fairly formal style with good explanations of technical terms and an NLP glossary at the back. Perhaps not the most accessible cover-to-cover read, but a good reference text used by a lot of trainers and experienced practitioners.

Principles of NLP
Joseph O’conor and Ian McDermott

One of the popular Thorsons’ ‘Principles of…’ series this is short but thought-provoking introduction to NLP thinking. Written in a conversational style, it brings to life the fundamental concepts on NLP and skilfully introduces the NLP presuppositions as they become relevant. This is the kind of book most people would read cover-to-cover in a few sessions. It’s short, readable and informal.

NLP in 21 Days
Harry Alder & Beryl Heather

If you like to do more than simply read about a subject and prefer to have suggested activities to apply what you have read, then you will probably enjoy this book. It just about covers everything you might cover in a 21-day Practitioner training, but you can’t ask it questions and it doesn’t give you any feedback! The activities are comprehensive and varied - I particularly like the ‘NLP presupposition of the day’ feature. I suspect this might be best used as a companion to participation in a Practitioner training, but will certainly open up new possibilities for anyone looking for a NLP introductory text.

NLP for Dummies
Romilla Ready & Kate Burton

I like this book! I’m not a ‘dummie’ but a certified trainer of NLP and what I really appreciate in this book is the chunking and layout. It has strong visual appeal and is easy to dip in and out of. It combines simple explanations of key concepts with fun activities and examples. As with most other NLP books, it covers a lot of information and would be a useful reference for practitioner training and beyond. It also contains useful resource guides at the end.

NLP workbook
Joseph O’Connor

I recommend this as a good third or fourth book on NLP. I wouldn’t suggest it as a starting place, simply because it contains so much and some of the activities are quite complex. It is well structured and chunked into manageable pieces. It is comprehensive and thought provoking. The activities encourage the reader to explore the workings of their own mind and to challenge their own assumptions.

NLP at work
Sue Knight

If you are particularly interested in applying NLP in the business environment, then you will probably enjoy this book. It includes lots of anecdotes and examples of everyday business occurrences that will help you relate the subject to your own working life.

Recommended reading for ‘Turning Stress into Success’

Stress - a friend for life
Jenni Adams

Writing Down the Bones: freeing the writer within
Natalie Goldberg

Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway - How to turn your fear and indecision into confidence and action
Susan Jeffers

You Can Heal Your Life
Louise Hay

Recommended reading for NLP Practitioner training

Any or all of the introductory level books plus:

Science and Sanity
Alfred Korzybski

This is where the phrase ‘the map is not the territory’ originates. This is a big heavy book (in all senses) but worth at least dipping into. Currently out of print but you might be lucky and get one second-hand.

Plans and the Structure of Behaviour
George A.Miller, Eugene Galanter and Karl H. Pribram

This book was published in 1960 and is the first description of strategies and the TOTE model. Currently out of print, but often available second-hand. Well worth reading if you are interested in strategies, also because it was written by three of the finest minds of their time.

Performance Management
Michael D. McMaster

This is a thoroughly practical guide to applying NLP in a management context. It addresses the all-important issues of communication related to managing people, including planning, coaching and evaluation.

The Art of Systems Thinking
Joseph O’Connor and Ian McDermott

Systems thinking is about seeing beyond logic and simple patterns of cause effect. It’s about seeing deeper patterns and connections in events and experiences of our daily lives. This book is very readable introduction to a fascinating subject that complements NLP.

Recommended reading for ‘Leadership through Everyday Conversation’

The Structure of Magic Vols 1 & II
Richard Bandler and John Grinder

Not exactly a light read, but if you want to read it from the masters, this is a must. Some of this material has now been eclipsed by what came later and Grinder himself has been known to say that some of it was unnecessary and ‘over the top’, however, it remains a fascinating guide to Bandler and Grinder’s original work on language.

Whispering in the Wind
Carmen Bostic St Clair and John Grinder
Published by J&C Enterprises 2001
ISBN 0 9717223 0 7

In this book, Grinder revisits NLP and looks at the structure of reality with the benefit of 30 years of experience and a critical mind. This is a rich, thought-provoking book with plenty to stimulate an enquiring mind.

(Currently not available through Amazon)

Words that Change Minds
Shelle Rose Charvet

A classic for anyone who wants to master the art of adapting their communication style to suit the processing style of others. This book is a companion to the LAB profile and a good guide to the whole idea of metaprogrammes and how to use them. It is written in an informal and accessible style and does not presuppose any knowledge of NLP.

Communication Magic
L. Michael Hall

In this book Micheal Hall revisits the Meta Model and shows how it can be updated in the light of more recent research. He also shows how to apply and use the Meta Model in everyday conversations. The style is quite formal and technical in places. It’s a book that requires full attention but delivers corresponding value!

The Language Instinct
Steven Pinker

Not strictly to do with NLP and language, but an interesting look at how and why human beings developed and use language.

The Language of Change
Paul Watzlawick

This book is focused on the therapeutic use of language to create and support positive change. If you are interested in language as a coach or therapist then you will probably find this to be of value, even though it is not specifically about NLP.

Recommended reading for NLP Master Practitioner training

Turtles all the way down; pre-requisites to personal genius
Judith Delozier & John Grinder

Steps to an Ecology of Mind
Gregory Bateson

How Real is Real? Confusion, Disinformation, Communication
Paul Watzlawick

The Encyclopaedia of Systemic NLP and NLP New Coding
Robert Dilts, Judith Delozier & Todd Epstein

Modelling with NLP
Robert Dilts

Strategies of Genius Vol. I, II and III
Robert Dilts

NLP Solutions
Sue Knight

Leaves before the Wind
Edited by Charlotte Bretto Milliner et al (1991)

Metaphors in Mind
James Lawley & Penny Tompkins

Plans and the Structure of Behaviour
Miller, G., Galanter, E., and Pribram, K.,

Beliefs: Pathways to Health and Well-being
Dilts, R. , Halbomm, T. and Smith S.