The following is taken from David’s interview with Jim Earley in 10 Super Coaches.

What training, experience and qualifications did you have when you started coaching? 

Well, firstly I had some solid academic qualifications. Aside from those – although I had no specific coaching training – by the time I came to coaching professionally, I had:

•  Taken one college class and one honors program on interviewing.
•  Taken classes on interpersonal communication and non-verbal communication.
•  Read every book David McClelland had written on motivation as well as others.
•  Taken one year-long program devoted to the nature of listening.
•  Spent five years developing an internal style of coaching as a swimming coach.
•  Developed an approach to problem solving.