Abstract
This paper explores why Peter F. Drucker, the father of management, largely omitted the concept of coaching from his extensive body of work. While Drucker advocated for human development and self-actualization, he avoided the term coaching. This paper proposes that his silence was rooted in his critique of enlightened psychological despotism. Drucker cautioned against the use of psychological knowledge for manipulative purposes, viewing it as a self-destructive abuse of knowledge. During the 1970s, the field of coaching was closely intertwined with the Human Potential Movement and self-improvement seminars that often involved intrusive psychological interventions. Drucker's stance can be interpreted as a warning against psychological control under the guise of human growth.
