Frames provide ways to establish constraints around particular situations, ideas, discussions or behaviors.  Frames can be used to identify the context of a topic in a conversation.  Frames help influence how events can be interpreted or perceived by a person.

From an NLP perspective, Framing is a very important part of the communication process. Setting clear frames, such as pre-framing the expected outcomes of a meeting or negotiation before it begins, will help people set mental guidelines around how they interpret various communications and behaviors, as well as how they interact and provide input.

Whenever a person has an unclear frame of what is happening, what is going to happen or what is expected of them, then it is easier for them to become unnecessarily confused, fearful and resistant — which can ultimately increase the risk for mis-communication and misunderstanding.