JUDITH DELOZIER, ROBERT DILTS,
SUZI SMITH, TIM HALBOM, DEE KINDER
and FRANK BOURKE, PhD

 Judith DeLozier, Robert Dilts, Suzie Smith, Tim Hallbom, Dee Kinder and Frank Bourke PhD, are, with this letter, asking each of you, and the entire NLP worldwide community, to join an effort to do long needed research and gather professional recognition of NLP. We plan to do this within a well defined branch of IASH which we have named “The NLP Research and Recognition Project”.

An action plan and five suggested well formed outcomes follow.

As the first step we are asking those of you who have already made research and recognition contributions, to integrate them and yourselves into this process to receive the worldwide recognition you deserve.  This will also serve to help gather like-minded individuals to you, which will assist in cross-fertilizing the field.

Stage One 

Our job will be to network and raise support for the project and to hire staff to begin Stage Two. We estimate that will take $250,000.

Stage Two

1. We will begin serious grant writing and enlarge the support system to include, among others
   
   
   • Chairmen of Clinical Research Departments
   • Professional Leaders from Medicine
   • Psychology and Social Work
   • Outcome Researchers
   • Large Foundation Board Members
   • Wealthy, Politically Connected Business-Persons
   • National Level Politicians
   • Nationally Recognized Clinicians
   • In addition, the assistance of hundreds of friends of NLP will be needed, as the project unfolds.
     
     
2. We will begin a research library to:
   
   
   • Catalog all of the work to date
   • Make it freely available to the NLP Community as well as future researchers and the general public. 
     

Please read the attached action plan and if you have applicable resources, access to those resources, or know anyone who does, please give the project your support.

When you get a few moments, envision the detailed well formed outcomes in the action plan as realities in our working worlds. Done properly this project will benefit us all.

OVERVIEW—INITIAL ACTION PLAN

Stage One

1    Develop well formed outcomes for the project.

2    Outline an action plan for the projects’ first three years.

3    Establish the Executive Committee for the “NLP Research and Recognition Project” under the IASH umbrella by having this committee duly appointed by the IASH Board.

4    Submit the action plan and follow-up support to IASH and the NLP Community at large asking them to use it to raise enough money to run Stage Two for one year.

5    Begin the collection of support letters for money and resources for Stage Two and Three (from Chairmen of Clinical Research Departments, Professional Leaders from Medicine, Psychology and Social Work, Outcome Researchers, Large Foundation Board Members, Wealthy Politically Connected Business-persons, National Level Politicians, and Nationally Recognized Clinicians and any NLPers or friends of NLP identified by our campaign.)

Stage Two

1. Once the necessary funds are in place, hire core staff to begin the project; a project director (½ Time), an office administrator (1/2 Time), grant writer (½ Time) with a proven track record, a communication specialist to link and catalog developments (1/4 Time), a two hour per week management committee (8 to 12 members).
     
2. Establish a working management committee to advize and support core staff.
   
3. Begin Grant writing and money finding for continuing project operating expenses and funding of five Well Formed Outcomes.
    
4. Continue the building of a support network of skilled, committed participants across a number of areas inclusive of Chairmen of Clinical Research Departments, Professional Leaders from Medicine, Psychology and Social Work, Outcome Researchers, Large Foundation Board Members, Wealthy Politically Connected Business-persons, National Level Politicians, and Nationally Recognized Clinicians and NLPers and friends of NLPers.
    
5. Begin development of the IASH Research Library.

Stage Three

1    Using support letters from the network as proof of capability, continue to apply for grants from government agencies, health businesses and foundations to accomplish the agreed upon well formed outcomes.

2    Increase the time of core staff and management committee as affordable and necessary. Hire the additional specialized staff to design and request research and development proposals to accomplish the well formed outcomes.

3    Using the “NLP Research and Recognition Project” Foundation monies, select, fund and oversee the best proposals.

4    Establish programs to publicize outcomes. Continue this as a well established and endowed Foundation for the “NLP Research and Recognition Project”, leading to professional development of the field and its practitioners.

WELL FORMED OUTCOMES

The proposed Executive Committee of the “NLP Research and Recognition Project” is presenting the following well formed outcomes to invite inclusions and expansions from the NLP Community.

For the project to succeed, manpower volunteers, additional resources and initiative for improvements on the design will be necessary from the NLP Community at large.

1. Using treatment protocols (phobias, asthma, depression, anxiety, etc), defined in the NLP Encyclopedia, the project would attempt to certify clinical training to practitioner levels for the National Professional Organizations of Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work, etc. here and abroad. Participants in the trainings would receive continuing educational credits within their professions for learning a range of NLP clinical skills.
   
   
2. Develop University based, federally funded clearinghouses for evaluation of treatment protocols, here and abroad. These will probably need to be partnerships with behaviorally biased clinical departments and hospital partners if they are to evaluate the clinical efficacy of treatment protocols.
   
   
3. Identify, here and abroad, professionally approved programs in Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Social Work and allied mental health fields and work with them to offer their degree with a specialization in NLP methodology during graduate training.
   
   
4. Establish National NLP treatment centers of excellence for certain “diseases" (asthma, phobias, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress, depression, etc.). Where possible attach them to professional centers of excellence such as Columbia Presbyterian, Duke University, Maudsley Hospital, London and Menninger’s Clinic.
   
   
5. Develop five to fifteen "Foundation" research papers i.e., articles published in the best journals which professionally serve to provide basic validity to NLP as a scientifically proven effective entity. Establish a research fund within the Foundation to pay for a number of research studies per year aimed at specific prestigious journals.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
of the” NLP Research and Recognition Project”

  This oversight body will ensure the operating integrity of the line staff and management committee. It will maintain final budget approval on all facets of operation. Our suggestions for membership on the Executive Committee are Robert Dilts, Judith DeLozier, Suzi Smith, Tim Hallbom, Dee Kinder and Frank Bourke.

THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
of the “ NLP Research and Recognition Project” 

This core team will represent business, academia, research, NLP expertise, and grantsmanship, sufficient to guide the project and support the core staff. It would be best if their part time contributions could be paid for, although initially, all positions will be volunteer.

INITIAL FUNDING/GRANT WRITING

Finding the initial money for the project is the key function initially. Money must be acquired quickly and efficiently by the NLP community network for the project to move forward and ultimately succeed.  Initially the Executive Committee of the “NLP R & R Project” will need to lead the NLP community and their networks to find the necessary funding (projected to be $250,000) to begin Stage 2 of the project.

The second stage Grant writing function will best be served with some people with proven track records and Foundation connections already in place.

COST EFFECTIVE OPERATION

Our plan is to put together a video conferenced, core group (line personnel and management committee) with seamless on-line digital linkage (e.g. Net meeting), to be able to coordinate this across the distances involved in a timely, affordable fashion.

We plan to mirror a “blue collar” work ethic and service costs from the onset so as to attract the best Foundations and Grant bodies. Clear budgets, C. P. A. oversight, evaluation and accountability need to be well done from the onset.

LINE PERSONNEL (Core Staff)
for the “ NLP Research and Recognition Project”

Initially the “NLP Research and Recognition Project” could begin Stage 2 operations with a project director (1/2 Time), an office administrator (1/2 Time), a grant writer with a proven track record (1/2 Time), a communication specialist to link and catalogue developments (1/4 Time), a two hour per week management committee (8 to 12 members). A research librarian would be added soon as economically feasible.

FRIENDS OF THE “NLP R & R PROJECT” NETWORK

Volunteers from the NLP community will be asked to participate by collecting and submitting resumes and support letters for themselves and their personal networks, reflecting the needed contributors from business, academia, politics, research, etc.

These letters and resumes constitute the core strength of the initial Grant applications. As Grant proposals are made, the substantive skills and resources necessary to do the job will be reflected with support letters and resumes. It isn’t much of a leap of faith for the Grant bodies that with the monies provided, the projects could be accomplished by people with such credentials.

RESEARCH LIBRARY

By quickly cataloging and identifying the effective NLP research done to date, we would find the effective designs, departments and the personnel to “do the jobs” needed to accomplish the well formed outcomes. Additionally, if done properly it provides proof of in-house capability for serious researchers to identify with and build on.

MODUS OPERENDI

• establish goals
• establish well-formed outcomes
• brainstorm possible solutions
• collect resources
• prioritize to most cost effective solutions
• run solutions
• evaluate
• redesign, based on evaluations
• rerun
• and ride off into the sunset!