Logical levels of change

Dilts’ logical levels of change

The Dilts Logical Levels of Change pyramid is a model of personal change that goes from one level to another. Changing something on a higher level would necessarily change things on the lower levels. 

Robert Dilts is an internationally respected developer, author, trainer and consultant in the field of leadership and change and a pioneer in the field of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a discipline that has profoundly shaped and enlightened management, training and communication techniques.

Here I put forward the hierarchical model and how it can be used to create powerful change.

Mission

 or Spiritual 

serve your mission 

Identity build your identity 

Values and Beliefs Adopt empowering beliefs

Capabilities and Competence build your capabilities 

Behaviours choose your behaviour 

Environment manage your environment 

Life Mission or Spirituality is not always included in the logical levels and I won’t be addressing as far as change as it is beyond what I offer and a very personal choice. It is about what drives you beyond your individual desires, and related to being part of a bigger system like maybe family, community or a church. Be aware that this may be helpful if the changes you are looking to make line up with your life mission or spirituality if this resonates with you. Your life mission may be to build a happy home for your family or serve your community or any number of things. 

Identity is about how you see yourself, “Who am I?”, your sense of self. This is the most powerful place to work (other than above) to effect change in all the areas below. Conversations on this level are often “What do I like?”, “What makes me tick?”, “What is my passion?”, “What kind of person am I?”. Your personal identity has a powerful impact on every level below. 

Values and Beliefs might be thought of as the level of “Why do I?” as Simon Sinek talks about in his Ted Talk,”Find your why”. “Why will I make these changes or do these things, what does it mean to me, do I believe I can?”

Values and beliefs can either reinforce or undermine capabilities. For example, a belief that you are “no good at _________” could undermine any attempt to learn to _______ well. What we believe effects how we engage in learning new abilities and affects our behaviour and environment..

Capability or Competence might be considered the how level. “How do I?” 

How will I get good at ____________. Competences drive behaviour through a personal strategy, involving building and developing skills. A person operating at this level, is talking and thinking about how to achieve something, including what skills they might need to learn and develop to do so. Having abilities/capabilities can effect your behaviours which we know can effect your environment. 

Behaviour

Behaviour is your personal actions and reactions within the environment. “Things I do.”

A person operating at this level will be describing what they thought and did, and what effect that had. It also includes what they might have done, and what effect that would have had. Behaviour can change when Capabilities and Competence grow. 

Changes at this level will cascade down to effect your environment. Your behaviours affect your environment, don’t they?

Environment is about the external conditions in which behaviour takes place, and in which we operate. “Where I am.” A person operating at this level will probably be explaining what happened, who was there and so on. In general, the story will not be about the person telling it, and the energy will be in explaining how something happened. This may involve complaining. This level can be easily changes but the efffects don’t cascade upwards to affect the other levels. Unfortunately some people feel stuck at the mercy of their environment, unaware of the ability to take responsibility and recognise their own autonomy. 

It doesn’t take much to change this level.

Recognizing how your identity,  your values and beliefs can have you seek new capabilities to enable the behaviours that you want so you can thrive in your environment can be changing one thing to change other things.

The Identity Cascade

Now that you know how this works, use it!

Craft yourself some powerful changes with this Identity Cascade I learned from Chris Thompson in an NLP course I took.  This is a great way to use the model above and get amazing results.

When you make one of these Identity Cascades for yourself say it out loud with intention so your mind knows you are not just messing around.

When we start with Identity it can be easy to see how we can cascade down through, values/beliefs, capability, behaviour and environment. 

I am a ___________

Which means ___________

So that ___________

Therefore ___________

Examples

Here are a bunch of different examples I put together showing an Identity Cascade.

I am a great sales person. (Identity)

Which means I know I have something to offer many people. (Beliefs)

So I learn/know about my products and how people can benefit from them. (Capabilities)

I am diligent and friendly.(Behaviours)

I keep clean and organized. (Environment).

I am a monk (Identity)

Which means I care for all creatures great and small (Values)

I build my meditation skills (Capabilities)

I live simply (Behaviours)

I keep a simple tidy home (Environment)

I am a healthy person. (Identity)

Which means I look after myself (Beliefs)

Because I learn good self care (Capabilities)

And apply those learnings (Behaviours)

My body and mind will be in good shape for me daily (Environment)

I am a winner. (Identity)

Which means I will succeed in life (Beliefs)

Because I keep learning I will get smarter all the time (Capabilities)

And since I work hard and take care of myself (Behaviours)

My life will be fulfilling daily (Environment)

Write your own or use an example if it fits.

Say it as if it is true and of empower yourself!