Coaches don’t preach

I was concerned to read the views of Sir John Whitmore on coaching (“Of might and mien”, 12 March). According to the CIPD website, “broadly speaking, the CIPD defines coaching as developing a person’s skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives”. Yet the article gave me the impression of reading the agenda of a spiritual or religious guru.
 

Language does not simply reflect what is going on in organisational life: it also influences what people think and what they do

Linda Holbeche, director of the Holbeche Partnership and visiting professor of HRM/OD at Cass Business School