What is the VAKOG of NLP?
People communicate using different styles because they experience the world differently through various senses, and in neuro-linguistic programming, researchers have identified the representational systems commonly and collectively known as the VAKOG system.
V — Visual
A — Auditory
K — Kinaesthetic
O — Olfactory
G — Gustative
Based on our senses and the way we predominantly experience our journey in this world — most people seem to have a predominance of one of these systems, especially common are the first three, though some people will tend to use all the senses in an almost balanced manner.
It is possible to find VAKOG tests on the internet and identify your own personal system of communication and expression. You can also be intentional about checking it for yourself or asking your friends to observe you carefully.
When we are able to identify the predominant system someone uses, we can start utilising the same in making our communication more efficient and effective. This can be an asset when we want to get our point across, are teaching or dealing with people in any context. When somebody feels understood, heard and seen, they are more likely to be open towards understanding, hearing and seeing us as well as our point of view.
Visual — We live in a coloured and colourful world and this is especially true today when capturing images and sharing them has become a regular practice. Our senses are overwhelmed with all kinds of strong visual imagery and our mind can conjure up images that can take on a very lifelike aspect. Visual people have a tendency of exploring their world through the sense of sight, seeing things, experiencing the world in the form of images. The way they express themselves is by using visual cues in their language patterns. They tend to paint word pictures. Their vocabulary is dotted with words like see, look, observe, imagine etc. They’re most likely to utilise phrases like:
I see what you mean.
Can you see the big picture of here?
Let’s have a look at this
I look forward to meeting you
I need to observe this more carefully.
Can you show me what you’re talking about?
Auditory — Our world is full of sounds and Vibrations. Added to the sounds of nature and speech, today we are bombarded with environmental sounds caused by human progress; the hum of appliances in our homes, industrial noise, the sound of traffic, the blurring of horns and sirens, the buzz of conversation in a busy restaurant, background music in a shopping mall, notifications from our telephones etc.
People who bend towards the auditory system rely a lot on the sense of hearing. They tend to be naturally more inclined towards listening to music or even creating it, tend to speak faster, may incline their head at an angle to listen better to what is being said, breathe somewhere from the middle of the thorax and utilise language patterns in line with hearing.
I’m hearing what you’re saying.
I’m listening.
I hear you.
You now listen to me carefully.
That idea doesn’t sound right to me.
Oh, I like the sound of it
It’s just too loud.
What this tells me, is that I can trust her.
It just doesn’t speak to me, I don’t know what to do.
I’ll talk to her about it.
Does it ring a bell with you?
Just whisper it into my ear, I won’t tell a soul.
That part really resonates with me.
He roared with laughter, it sounded so funny.
Kinesthetic or the sense of feeling. People with a tendency towards using this system tend to breathe slowly and heavily and experience the world through their feelings. They seem to move slowly, speak slowly and need more time to process information as compared to those with more Visual or Auditory tendencies. The expressions that they mainly use correspond to feelings and sensations and movements.
This plan doesn’t feel right to me.
I quite like the feel of that idea.
I need time to digest all this information.
The words washed over me like waves.
I could feel my stomach knotting up.
I felt weak at the knees.
I can feel their pain.
Let’s touch base once we have worked through this.
Don’t hesitate to reach out.
I’m cool with that idea.
That makes me feel hot all over.
The olfactory system is all about the sense of smell, odours and perfumes. This also happens to be the most easily evoked. How often has a whiff of some odour brought a rush of vivid memories to you? Their language expressions are raged between some of the following:
I don’t like the smell of it.
She has a nose for the truth.
I can smell a lie a mile away.
There’s something fishy about the situation, it stinks.
You better keep your nose to the grindstone.
Don’t let them get a whiff of our plan.
He has a nose for business, he can sniff a good idea in a pile of bad ones.
The heady smell of success.
The gustatory system, obviously, is related to the sense of taste. It is almost a way of tasting life, appreciating its flavours, the variety and spice. Below are a few examples:
I want to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Let me chew some more on this idea.
It is a really sweet memory for me.
I remember the bitterness of those years.
Her personality is bubbly like bubbles of champagne.
I had a very savoury encounter.
That meeting left a bitter taste in my mouth.
His language is flavoured with expletives.
Whenever we are aware of the language patterns used by the people we are speaking with, we can intentionally reflect back the same patterns to them. In this way, they do not need to process the information that has been given, and comprehension becomes faster for them, making the communication more effective. They also experience us as being more empathetic. You certainly do not need to be an NLP practitioner to utilise some of the fabulous techniques identified by the founders; most of us already use them naturally.
When speaking to a group of people, it is important to utilise all the three systems as well as throwing in bits of the other two. While addressing a group, you could say, “Nice to see you all here! In the next hour, we will be talking about x, y and z, and I will try to give you a feel of what it is like to be an effective coach. We’ll have a look at how these ideas resonate with our clients, how they are touched by the process and observe the changes that will take place as a result of it all.
Remember also to modulate your tone, and play around with tempo, pitch and volume in order to reach everyone in the group.
It is really easy for people to misunderstand each other simply because they tend to use different representational systems. Let’s take an example, a familiar argument between couples::
Why can’t you see what I’m trying to do?
- Just tell me what you want. I’m listening.
You refuse to see my point of view. I’m fed up.
-Tell me all about it. I’m fed up too. You just don’t hear what I say.
Look at me. Can’t you see what you’re doing to me?
-That’s not true, I can hear you loud and clear, you’re always screaming and shouting. In fact my ears are ringing.
Oh yes? I’ll show you what it means to actually have ears that ring! You haven’t seen anything yet buddy.
If only one of them were to be aware of how the other expresses themselves, they could easily adapt their own language and enter into harmony.
Why can’t you see what I’m trying to do?
- Just show me what you are trying to do. I want to see clearly.
You refuse to see my point of view. I’m fed up.
-Show me then, I’m right here in front of you. I’m willing to look.
Look at me. Can’t you see what you’re doing to me?
- I see you are hurt. How can I show you that I care?
Well, you see….
If you see what I am doing here, perhaps the example above rings a bell and you can try and grasp some of the above ideas to help you resolve some issues in your relationships and close encounters at least in part.