Another Coaching Article in the Newspaper . . . blah , blah blah

Do I sound a little jaded? The Sunday Times Online used the following title in this Saturday's article: Bosses let coach take the strain -The move from sport to industry advising is now big business in Britain

No wonder I feel a little fed up with everyone getting excited about mainstream reports on coaching. This title makes it sound like coaching is a direct off-shoot of sports. The expert source for the article is Jez Cartwrigth a former sports coach and psychologist. No wonder the article makes coaching sound like a cross between athletic coaching and on-the-couch therapy. Personally, I don't think that this gives coaching a good image and is rather misleading. While Cartwright may be perfectly trained to do therapy, less trained coaches are not qualified to do so. Readers may make the mistake of hiring someone who plays amateur psychiatrist.

Andy Winterburgh,. . ., admits he was wary about letting a coach into his office, but had heard good things about Cartwright and, besides, it was his boss’s idea.

“I was both interested and wary,” said Winterburgh. “I’m quite open about training and personal development, but I found some of it quite difficult and I was quite suspicious of why he was asking all these questions about my childhood and how that related to the work I was doing.”

. . .

“It was quite hard-hitting,” said Winterburgh, explaining that Cartwright had unearthed a particularly telling childhood memory that had influenced not only his own self-image, but the way he had interacted with people ever since.

Forget the money he's charging: "Cartwright’s programme of eight one-and-a-half-hour sessions will set you back £6,000. " I will give him credit. Either he is the greatest thing since sliced bread or the greatest salesman!