Asking whether or not NLP – or Neuro-Linguistic Programming – is likely to work in a business context is less important than understanding whether or not NLP actually works at all.
Ultimately, NLP is merely one tool to help people in a certain position try to put their point of view across in the most effective way possible, using subtle techniques to make things sound more appealing and therefore, in a business context, create far more opportunities and turn meetings into genuine trade.
Whether or not it really works is hard to say as it is something that is extremely hard to prove either way. Those who have taken courses in NLP often extol just how effective the method is, although it is not clear whether they are actually seeing better results or simply feeling more comfortable and confident in their role.
It is this last point that is the most important in many respects. Whether the actual words used are having a marked effect on the listener or whether those who have had training in NLP are simply more confident and in turn are responded too more favourably is hard to tell, but ultimately it is a moot point. Adding NLP to any management training is likely to ensure that those in a leadership role get far more from their staff and far more from potential business, either due to their subtle language techniques or possibly simply just due to the fact that they feel more confident communicating with people.
NLP should not be used as a single shortcut to success but merely another tool to be given to leaders through management development to allow them to be able to use such techniques should the need arise. Whether the actual process works or not is therefore not important. It is merely important that its reputation precedes it, and does so very effectively. And, as such, those who have NLP training will feel ready to communicate with anyone in any situation and in turn are likely to see surprisingly positive results.