Learning the meta model

The Meta Model is the founding model of NLP. It’s a way of querying the information you are getting from a client, colleague, student … in fact anyone who you are communicating with. Being able to tune into what someone is saying and know how to get at the information just below the surface is a very valuable skill.

Unfortunately the Meta Model can be a little off putting. Some of the descriptions, for example: Unspecified Referential Index, which come from the model’s origins in linguistics can be intimidating.

Fortunately there is a very nice NLP Meta Model Flashcards website where you can practice your meta model skills. The site presents a ‘deck of cards’ which you can flip through. Each card represents one aspect of the meta model, it has a definition, an example and an example of the kind of question that would help elicit more information.

Note for NLP purists: The cards expand the original meta model with some later contributions of L Michael Hall.