Due Diligence Checklist Before working with an NLP professional or trainer, it is sensible to carry out a few checks and ask a few questions. Back to Work with an NLP Professional Share Tweet LinkedIn Pin Before working with an NLP professional or trainer, it is sensible to carry out a few checks and ask a few questions. Due diligence helps you confirm that the person, course or organisation you are considering is appropriately trained, professionally accountable and suitable for your needs. Use this checklist before booking a session, course, workshop, consultancy project or in-house training. 1. Check their NLP certifications Ask: What NLP certifications do you hold? Are you qualified as an NLP Practitioner, Master Practitioner, Trainer or Master Trainer? Who awarded your certification? Which training school or organisation issued your certificate? When did you qualify? Can I see evidence of your certification? Look for clear answers. A professional will be willing to explain their training background and provide evidence where appropriate. 2. Check where and how they trained NLP is an experiential subject, so how someone trained matters. Ask: Was your training delivered face to face, live virtual, blended or online-only? Did your training include live practice? Did you receive feedback and assessment? How many training days or hours were included? Who assessed your competence? Self-paced online courses may be useful as an introduction to NLP, and they are not the same as live, interactive training where skills are practised and assessed. 3. Check professional body membership Ask: Are you a member of ANLP? What level of membership do you hold? Are you a member of any relevant association? Are you listed on the professional body’s public register or member directory? ANLP is the gold standard Independent Professional Body for NLP. ANLP members have their NLP qualifications checked, provide external references, agree to the ANLP Code of Ethics and are accountable through ANLP’s independent Complaints Procedure. Current ANLP members from Professional level and above are listed in the ANLP Member Directory. 4. Check whether they follow a Code of Ethics Ask: Do you follow a professional Code of Ethics? Can I read it? What happens if there is a concern or complaint? A Code of Ethics helps set expectations for professional behaviour, confidentiality, boundaries, competence, claims and accountability. 5. Check insurance Ask: Do you hold professional insurance? What type of insurance do you have? Does your insurance cover the work you are offering? Does it cover online or virtual work, if relevant? Does it cover organisational or in-house work, if relevant? Professional insurance is an important part of responsible practice. 6. Check relevant experience Ask: What experience do you have in the area I am looking for support with? Have you worked with similar clients, goals or contexts before? Do you specialise in particular areas? Do you work with individuals, teams, organisations or all three? Are there any areas you do not work with? When would you refer someone to another professional? The right professional should have experience that is relevant to your needs and should be clear about the boundaries of their competence. 7. Check whether their claims can be verified Look carefully at claims made on websites, profiles, social media and promotional material. Check: Are certifications clearly stated? Are memberships current? Are accreditations verifiable? Are testimonials genuine and appropriate? Are claims realistic? Are guarantees or “cure-all” promises being made? Is the person clear about what they can and cannot offer? Be cautious if claims sound exaggerated, vague or impossible to check. 8. Check public registers and member databases If someone says they are a member of a professional body or hold external accreditation, check the relevant register. You can: search the organisation’s member directory check whether the membership is current confirm the level of membership contact the organisation directly if you are unsure If someone says they are an ANLP member and you cannot find them in the ANLP Member Directory, contact ANLP directly to report this and seek clarification. 9. Check additional sector-specific accreditation Some NLP professionals or trainers may hold additional qualifications or accreditations in areas such as coaching, counselling, psychotherapy, healthcare, education, training, leadership or organisational development. Ask: What additional accreditations do you hold? Who awarded this accreditation? Is the accrediting body independent from you, your business or your training company? What standards had to be met? Was there an external assessment process? Is there a Code of Ethics? Is there a complaints process? Can I verify this accreditation directly with the accrediting body? Are you listed on the accrediting body’s public register? If an NLP professional or trainer lists another accreditation or membership, visit the relevant organisation’s website or contact them directly to confirm that the information is current and accurate. Be cautious where accreditation appears to be awarded by an organisation owned, operated or controlled by the same person or company being accredited. Independent accreditation should involve external scrutiny, transparent criteria and a clear route for verification. 10. Check practical arrangements Before booking, make sure you understand the practical details. Ask: What are your fees? Are fees charged per session, per hour, per day or per programme? What is included in the fee? How long is each session or training day? Where will the work take place? Do you work in person, online or both? What is your cancellation policy? Will we have a written agreement or contract? How will confidentiality be handled? How will progress or outcomes be reviewed? Clear practical arrangements help avoid misunderstandings later. 11. Check suitability and fit Professional credentials matter, but so does suitability. Ask yourself: Do I feel comfortable asking this person questions? Are their answers clear and respectful? Do they listen to what I want? Do they explain their approach clearly? Are they realistic about what NLP may support? Do they avoid exaggerated claims? Do they seem appropriately professional for my needs? A good NLP professional or trainer should help you make an informed decision, not pressure you into booking. 12. Extra checks for NLP training If you are choosing an NLP training course, also ask: What level of certification does the course lead to? Is the course recognised by ANLP? Has the certification been Validated or Verified by ANLP? Does the course follow the recognised NLP certification structure? How many live training days or hours are included? How much practice is included? How is competence assessed? What support is available during and after the course? Does virtual training meet the ANLP Criteria for Virtual Training? Will this training support ANLP membership? If you intend to use NLP professionally, make sure the training includes live interaction, practice, feedback and assessment. 13. Extra checks for organisational or in-house work If you are engaging an NLP professional for a team, workplace or organisation, also ask: What experience do you have working with organisations? Have you worked with teams like ours before? Can you tailor the work to our context? How do you assess needs before delivery? How do you manage confidentiality in group settings? Can you provide a written proposal? How will outcomes be reviewed? Can you provide references we may approach? Are your fees based on a day rate, programme fee or delegate fee? For organisational work, make sure both parties are clear about aims, boundaries, responsibilities, confidentiality, costs and expected outcomes. Red flags to watch for Be cautious if someone: avoids questions about training or certification cannot explain where or how they trained is not listed where they claim to be listed makes exaggerated or guaranteed claims presents NLP as a cure-all pressures you to book quickly cannot provide clear fees or terms dismisses the need for ethics, insurance or professional membership claims accreditation that cannot be independently verified suggests online-only learning is sufficient for professional NLP certification In summary Due diligence means checking before you choose. Before working with an NLP professional or trainer, check their qualifications, training route, professional membership, ethics, insurance, experience, claims, accreditations and practical terms. ANLP, the gold standard Independent Professional Body for NLP, gives you a clearer starting point by checking members’ NLP qualifications, requiring external references, maintaining a Code of Ethics and providing an independent Complaints Procedure. Use this checklist to support your decision, ask informed questions and choose an NLP professional or trainer with greater confidence.
