IONI — Institute of NLP India

Sleight of Mouth

Sleight of Mouth is Robert Dilts' codification of 14 verbal reframing patterns — the belief-level toolkit modelled loosely from how skilled communicators dismantle limiting generalisations. Immensely useful, famously abused.

The families

  • Intention/redefine: aim at the goal behind the belief, or relabel the frame ("not failure — data")
  • Consequence: examine effects of holding the belief ("and where does that belief take you?")
  • Chunk up/down: move to a larger value or a specific counter-example
  • Meta frame/reality strategy: question how the belief was built ("who taught you that, and how did they know?")
  • Analogy/model of the world: same structure, different world ("a sapling that bends isn't failing at standing")
  • Apply to self/hierarchy of criteria: turn the belief on itself or rank it against other values

A worked example

Belief: "I can't speak up because I'll be judged." Intention: "so staying quiet protects you — how's that working for the respect you want?" Consequence: "and each quiet month makes speaking feel heavier — is the belief paying rent?" Counter-example chunk-down: "you spoke plainly in Tuesday's review — what was different?" Three patterns, three doors out of the same corner.

The ethics line

These patterns dismantle beliefs — including good ones, in the wrong hands. Used on yourself and consented clients: powerful. Used to override legitimate objections in sales: manipulation with paperwork. Train them with the ethics attached, or don't carry them.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the 14 Sleight of Mouth patterns?

Dilts' list: reality strategy, model of the world, intention, redefine, consequence, chunk down, chunk up, analogy, metaphor, larger framework, hierarchy of criteria, apply to self, changing frame size, another outcome — grouped in six families above.

Is Sleight of Mouth manipulative?

It is belief-level influence — regenerative or corrosive depending on intent and consent. IONI teaches it with the ethics as curriculum, not footnote.

Written by ShriViral Manek, Institute of NLP India · reviewed 30 Sept 2026 · see it live, free →