Roberts Dilts's Neuro-Logical Levels

Dilts presented a system model ( that he 'made up' ) that can be used to explore opportunities or problems. Supposedly based on Gregory Batesons work on Logical Typing. The model attempts to relate neurological activity to levels ( hierarchys ) of influence using the concepts of Logical Level ( Bertrand Russell ). The model proposes that the level of neurology involved is greater at the top ( identity ) than at the bottom ( environment ). These terms and the 'how' are largely undefined and unspecified – even from Dilts's NLPUniversity encyclopaedia of NLP!

http://nlpuniversitypress.com/html2/N32.html

I ( nigel )was introduced to Dilts Neurological levels as a hierarchy, thought at the time a hierarchy of what and how was never explained. John Grinder ( nlp co-creater ) has written several articles blasting Dilts for having no ordering principle for this model. Steve Andreas ( nlp developer ) has also commented on Grinders 'observations' and this is interesting reading. What follows is an extract regarding Neurological Levels.

Robert Dilts’ Neurological Levels

Dilts’ “neurological levels,” is another thing that Charles and I have been reexamining. As the book points out, Dilts’ “levels” do not consistently utilize criteria for either scope or category inclusion, and sometimes the hierarchical relationship is reversed. For instance, Dilts places “identity” at a higher (larger) level than “beliefs.” I think that he probably placed identity higher because it recursively describes itself, and this makes it much more powerful in influencing behavior. Curiously, this recursion actually bridges between logical levels (violating Russell’s “Theory of Logical Types”)

However, since identity is composed of the beliefs that we have about ourselves, it is a smaller subset of the much more general term “beliefs,” so it should be at a lower level in a hierarchy than beliefs.

http://www.steveandreas.com/whispering.html

Irrespective of the intellectual analising regarding the 'ordering principle' and confusion of Logical Levels this model is extremely useful. Dilts Neuro-Logical Level model serves as an excellent tool for gathering information, forward or backward planning. This model works at a system level and so, by nature is holistic and connecting.

As a meta-process tool the Neurological levels are easily transferable across individuals, groups even societies.

Originally presented as a hierarchical model with some undefined 'logical' ordering as a pyramidal structural model there are other much more useful ways to make use of Dilts excellent work.

There are many theories, especially from the world of therapy that in order to really affect change at 'one level' you must create the context for change at an even higher level. This may be true in inorganic systems but when dealing with people and organic change it is always worth while remembering this is just a model and to consider the whole as much as the parts.

communicating excellence © 2008 – www.communicatingexcellence.com

Neuro-Logical Level Standard Elicitating Question

● Spirituality

● Identity

● Values

● Beliefs

● Capabilities

● Behaviours

● Environment

● Purpose ...

● Who

● Why

● Why

● How

● What

● Where, When

●

● I, I am

● important

● it is, I know

● Can, Could,

● Do, Did,

● this, here, there

Neurological Levels – standard version

communicating excellence © 2008 – www.communicatingexcellence.com

Neurological Levels – Concentric Circles

In this configuration you can keep the hierarchy of the pyramid structure so the 'identity' could be either the inner or outer circle or remove the hierarchy and have any configuration you choose.

Neurological Levels – Network

Here the original hierarchy is removed and both user and guide are 'free' to operate and explore in which ever ways are chosen.

communicating excellence © 2008 – www.communicatingexcellence.com