An HR professional claims to have made his management development courses
more effective by hypnotising trainees.
Trained hypnotherapist and HR manager at Midland Auto Trader, Steve Miller,
has been using hypnotism in all his courses, including leadership, personal
development and presentation skills for the last four months.
A trial was so popular staff asked him to include it every time.
He claims it builds confidence in participants which makes it easier for
them to put what they have learned into practice. "Hypnotism induces a
state of deep relaxation so it is assimilated into the unconscious mind and it
becomes second nature," he said.
Although no impact assessment of its effectiveness has been done, Miller
says its popularity proves people feel it helps them.
Jane McCarte, Midland Auto Trader facilities manager said it had helped her
enormously.
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"Normally, when you learn a management technique, even when you
practice it, you do not internalise it. With this it becomes automatic. You
learn a reaction rather than a piece of information," she said.
Miller’s reputation has spread and he has been asked by parent company Auto
Trader to do a course for regional managers.