And what NLP has to do with it

Years ago Deloitte reported that employee engagement and culture had become the number one challenge facing organisations globally.

If anything, it feels even more relevant now.

Engagement isn’t just about job satisfaction. It affects retention, performance, culture, innovation and ultimately results. When people don’t feel connected, understood or valued, they disengage long before they resign.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: many organisations still don’t have a clear way of measuring or improving engagement in any meaningful way.

So the question becomes — what actually makes the difference?

It Often Comes Down to Communication

Have you ever noticed how some people just “click” with you?

You understand each other quickly. Conversations flow. Working together feels easy.

And then there are others.

You say one thing. They hear another. You explain again. They still don’t quite get it. Or worse — they do get it, but from a completely different angle.

It’s tempting to label this as personality. Or attitude.

It isn’t.

It’s perspective.

Every single one of us filters the world differently. Out of the vast amount of information available around us at any given moment, we consciously process only a tiny fraction. The rest is filtered through our beliefs, values, experiences and assumptions.

Which means two people can be in the same meeting, hear the same words, and walk away with completely different interpretations.

When that gap widens, engagement drops.

NLP Helps You Close That Gap

NLP is not a “technique.” It’s a set of skills that helps you understand how people create meaning from what they see, hear and experience.

It teaches you to notice patterns in language, behaviour, tone and physiology.

Because communication isn’t just words.

Research now suggests that only around 20–30% of communication is verbal. The rest is voice tone, pace, posture, facial expression and energy.

That means if you are only listening to the words, you are missing most of the message.

When you learn to recognise how someone is filtering their experience, you can respond in a way that matches their communication style — rather than expecting them to adapt to yours.

And that changes everything.

People feel heard.

They feel understood.

They feel valued.

Engagement rises when people feel understood.

What This Looks Like in Practice

When leaders use NLP skills effectively, they:

• Build rapport naturally

• Adapt their communication style without losing authenticity

• Help others clarify goals and next steps

• Recognise and challenge limiting beliefs

• Navigate cultural differences more effectively

• Strengthen trust in everyday conversations

And this is where engagement really shifts.

Because engagement isn’t created through surveys. It’s created in conversations.

When someone leaves a discussion feeling clearer, more capable and respected, motivation follows.

When that becomes consistent, culture changes.

Engagement Is a Leadership Skill

You don’t improve engagement by trying harder to “motivate” people.

You improve engagement by becoming more skilful in how you communicate.

That means listening more deeply.

Noticing what isn’t being said.

Understanding how someone is making sense of their world.

And adjusting your response so that it lands.

That’s practical. It’s learnable. And it’s powerful.

If you’re interested in building these skills more intentionally, you’ll find many of the foundations explored in Working with Trust, where communication, emotional intelligence and behavioural awareness sit at the heart of strong leadership.

And if you’d like to explore how NLP skills could strengthen engagement in your organisation, you can find more details about our NLP Business Practitioner and corporate programmes at:

www.theprofessionalgrowthcompany.com 

Or connect with me directly — I’m always happy to have a conversation.

— Fiona Campbell Arrand