Methods of programming and soft programming short channel NOR flash memory cells that reduce the programming currents and column leakages during both programming and soft programming while maintaining fast programming speeds. During programming, a voltage of between 7 and 10 volts is applied to the control gate, a voltage of between 4 and 6 volts; is applied to the drain, a voltage of between 0.5 and 2.0 volts is applied to the source and a voltage of between minus 2 and minus 0.5 volts is applied to the substrate of the selected cell to be programmed. During soft programming, a voltage of between 0.5 and 4.5 volts is applied to the control gates, between 4 and 5.5 volts is applied to the drains, between 0.5 and 2 volts is applied to the sources and between minus 2.0 and minus 0.5 volts is applied to the substrates of the memory cells.