Psy.

Visesh
Psychologist & NLP Trainer
+91 944 0000066
dearvisesh@gmail.com
www.geniusgym.co

Perceptual Positions
Perceptual position is our point of view.
A perceptual position is a perspective from
which things can be viewed or considered.
Perceptual positions are a complex set of
learned perspectives and skills that require
changing mental habits and practicing
various mental and emotional disciplines.
Once you align your perceptual position,
you will have an edge that is rare for
people in challenging situations.

Development
Originally formulated by John Grinder and Judith
DeLozier in 1987, as an operational extension of
referential index, meta position and Gregory
Batesons double and triple description
3rd position was influenced by Milton Erickson's
hypnotherapeutic concept of disassociation (as
distinct from dissociation).
The fourth position is specified by Dilts in 1997 in
his Leadership skills manual.
The fifth position was developed by Atkinson in
1997, in his unpublished manuscript named Five
Central Ideas.

From one's
own eyes

Total
self-

First position
You associate into your body and individual
perspective
Standing in your own physical space, in your
own habitual body posture
Experiencing the world through your own map of
the world.
Look at the world from your own viewpoint.
Operate from your own personal values, beliefs
and assumptions
Basis of self-confidence
You do not take into account anyone else's
position.
I, My and Myself

Look from
eyes of
another
person.

total other-referenc

Second Position
You walk in the other person's shoes
You imagine yourself entering the other person's
body
You imagine looking at yourself through their eyes
You develop the ability in experiencing empathy
Gives much flexibility when involved in conflict
with someone
Offers an extremely valuable model in deepening
rapport
There are different levels and degrees of taking
second position
You..

External
Viewer,
totally
dissociated.

Third Position
You are out of the communication loop,
become an independent observer,
symmetrical and relaxed posture
Outside of the relationship between oneself
and the other person
Understand the beliefs and assumptions
associated with both first and second
positions
Allows you to operate from the position of
objectivity
See things without emotions distracting you
You can build inner resources from the third
position
Allows you to step back, to gain a sense of

The
system

Fourth Position
Synthesis of the other three perceptual
positions, foundation for group mind, feeling
of sameness, we-ness of Curt Lewin
An essential component of wisdom and
ecology
You have associated in the perspective of
the whole system
Can give you a view of the systems that are
involved
You will consider the common goals
Key perspective for modelling
Can help you explore how the situation came
to be as it is

Cosmic
View

Fifth Position
A universal perceptual position.
Gives you a cosmic view, a transcendent
perspective
Permanently change your experience and your
reactions to it.
Applying the universal quantifiers (all, always)
to our perspective.
You can learn to take on multiple perceptual
positions
Increases your flexibility of consciousness
One way to get a sense of the fifth position is to
come from the God place.

THE
FIVE

Stuck in a position
A person stuck in: Becomes
First position = unreasonable,
rigid, selfcentered and
Egotistical
Second position = Caretaker,
rescuer, martyr
Third position = Cold, distant
and unfeeling
Fourth position= leader, team
spirit

Difficulty into a position

First position difficulties with personal
boundaries, and appear ungenuine, weakwilled, or unauthentic
Second position become selfish,
unempathetic and lacking in compassion
Third position overly emotional and caught
up in the situation
Fourth position difficulty experiencing
themselves as a member of a group or
community
Fifth position never have the universal
outlook

Uses of Perceptual
Positions
Improves your understanding of other people.
Enables you to think more flexibly and
creatively.
Provides an opportunity to stand back and
consider issues dispassionately
Helps to improve your emotional intelligence.
Helps to understand the difficult people and to
deal with them.
Stepping back from challenging situations.
Dealing with the conflict situations.

Benefits of Perceptual
Positions
Improve rapport
Check out the possible results of
choices and actions before
acting on them
Understand where others are
coming from in negotiations,
conflicts, or disagreements
Reconnect with your own
feelings and needs
Helps you appreciate the
influence of your verbal and nonverbal behaviour on others, and

Thought Questions
1. Which position do you favor so much
that you tend to use it as your default
Perceptual Position?
3. Which other Perceptual Position feels
like the biggest stretch for you?
4. Do you have any Perceptual Positions in
which you can become "stuck?"
5. What procedures will facilitate you (or
someone else) developing more flexibility
of consciousness about Perceptual
Positions?

dearvisesh
@

Psy.Visesh
Trainer/ Coach/
Therapist
Developer of Genius
GymTM
944-000-0066
www.geniusgym.co