Ian Weinberg

7 years ago · 3 min. reading time · ~10 ·

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Drowning in snake oil

Drowning in snake oil

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They’re everywhere. At the office and at the club, in all the media and even at your place of worship – the relentless pitch of the ‘experts’! Economists, coaches, wellness therapists and the like, ensnaring you and manipulating you and invariably relieving you of hard-earned cash. Often schooled in the best of snake oil sales traditions, they subtly but relentlessly tempt you at every turn and all too often, we relent.

And so I share the story with you of ‘Mary’. Mary qualified with a Bachelor’s degree, with a philosophy major. In the open job market, Mary had to settle for a low profile clerical job just to put bread on the table and pay off her student loan because her degree afforded her no special edge in a competitive job environment. But then came that life-changing moment. Mary noted that a well-known coaching expert/motivational speaker was going to be in her neighbourhood. She decided to attend the free introductory presentation. Fired up and on a roll following the presentation, Mary invested the last of her savings and attended the weekend-long course to become an accredited coach. She bought the books, learned the buzz and was cloned as an accredited life coach. She spread the word amongst family, friends and work colleagues that she was an accredited life coach, qualified to deal with the full spectrum of life’s trauma’s. Soon Mary had a thriving ‘practice’. Mary attended subsequent weekend courses and morphed successfully from life coach, to corporate coach, to executive coach, to ‘global’ executive coach and then ascended to the peak of coaching ... Mary attended a course facilitated by a company which had the word ‘neuro’ in its name and promptly thereafter, assumed the extra qualification of ‘Neuroscientist’! Mary today is an expert executive coach with a 'neuroscience qualification' managing individuals with issues ranging from existential life crises to neuroses, from depression to psychosis! Mary has since become a sought after motivational speaker and now runs her own accreditation course with several published books.

Being a very enterprising woman, Mary recently saw a gap in the market – lifestyle enhancement. Dovetails very well with the coaching bit. So Mary did another weekend course on some kinesthesiology/physical therapy-based method and soon added massage therapy and exercise instruction to her repertoire. Finally Mary started selling vitamin supplements through her ‘clinics’ which were subsequently branded ('Mary’s complete vitamin vitalizers for all maladies!'). Full, one-stop mind-body wellness clinics emerged, soon to be franchised, because all the while Mary has been training accredited ‘therapists’ who will buy into the world-wide franchises. Mary has become a BIG name. Mary is a world expert in mind-body wellness. And the product now sells itself.

Join me now as we look under the covers and establish exactly who Mary is and what in essence is her value contribution. Mary has no experience nor university-level qualification in human anatomy, physiology or psychology. Mary has no neuroscience degree. Mary has never been personally evaluated in terms of her own psychological wellness and stability nor has she been mentored for any length of time in an internship. In summary, Mary has never been assessed in terms of her fitness to practice as a ‘mind expert’ and physical therapist. In addition she has never opened up her methods to scientific scrutiny. Mary also conveniently ignored the scientific finding that mega-vitamin supplementation provides no wellness enhancement whatsoever!

Unfortunately the prevailing global environment allows for the emergence of unqualified experts like Mary because coaching is an unregulated profession. Add to this the odd course in massage, exercise and movement stuff and out of the murky depths emerges a 'wellness expert'! Never to be scrutinized nor challenged unless they harm or kill someone.

You see my fellow humans in suffering, we are being conned on a daily basis. Authenticity has been overcome by impressive packaging and marketing at our expense. The only way to remedy this sick situation is to scrutinize and seek supportive information in the form of method and results validation. Anyone not making their methods and results available for objective/scientific evaluation has something to hide.

I end this final post for 2016 with one important consideration. The mind states of trust and belief in something generates the secretion of oxytocin. Oxytocin is also secreted in response to massage. Oxytocin, in turn, enhances dopamine production (gratification, motivation) and suppresses inflammation – ‘feel good’ stuff. Oxytocin is therefore the mediator of the placebo effect – the belief that something enhances your wellness. It accounts for up to 40% of the effectiveness of all healthcare interventions! So the mind-body experts such as Mary are on to a good thing – they’ve got us all by the ..... oxytocin!

Best wishes for 2017!

"
Comments

Ian Weinberg

6 years ago #20

#36
Claire L Cardwell we just have to try and navigate with the eye on true North.
Wow--and I have trouble accepting what I actually trained full-tilt for.

Harvey Lloyd

6 years ago #18

A companion piece for https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ian-weinberg/brain-drain You really need to read both. Great stuff as always.

Cyndi wilkins

6 years ago #17

#26
I hope you followed through with legal action in this case Ian Weinberg...We all need to be mindful of the wolf in sheep's clothing...Unfortunately, manipulation and misrepresentation is and all too common business practice...Wrap it up in pretty ribbons and bows and you can sell sand to the Arabs...

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #16

#30
No sweat Gerald Hecht I left a slow-burning virus in the stolen IP. As the fiend connects the words together in the said sequence, a reversed Hebb process occurs generating uncontrollable Tau strands and the rest. And yes I know it wasn't you - you were stuck in the stern!

Harvey Lloyd

7 years ago #15

#26
Sorry to hear that Ian Weinberg. Protecting ones brand is very important but seams it would be doubly so in your field. A very challenging dilemma.

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

7 years ago #14

Indeed, most of these "wellness specialists" are really selling hot air and should be regulated somehow. However, this does not mean that everyone who offers some holistic alternative to conventional healing methods, particularly if they have studied something along these lines, are full of it too. I've been to alternative healers from time to time and if you spend some time doing some research on them, you can find some very interesting people who know what they are doing. So far, I've yet to encounter someone with a degree in philosophy though :-)

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #13

I thought it appropriate to add this comment as a kind of post-script. The content of this article of mine represents a real issue for me. It is not simply a subject of potential interest. I'm currently seriously considering legal action against a BIG NAME coach who attended my neuromodulation accreditation course and who shortly thereafter added 'Neuroscientist' to his credentials and subtly wove in components of my application into his workshops (copyrighted IP). He has no neuro or psychology qualifications. There are 2 other real 'bad eggs' which may require 'naming and shaming'. We have a real problem and I'm initiating the response!

Jim Taggart

7 years ago #12

Excellent piece, Ian. So true in our fake news-pseudo expert-snakeoil world. Caveat emptor has never been more relevant. Best to you in 2017.

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #11

#17
Thanks for that Phil Friedman Likewise, best wishes to you and yours for 2017

Phil Friedman

7 years ago #10

A rare doff of my cap to you here, Ian. You have hit the snake right on the head. On social media in general, and on beBee in particular, it takes cojones to say what you have said here... for the cult of positivity (as well as Insipidipity) prevails and often rises, fangs bared, to defend itself. Keep the faith. And keep smacking the snake. Perhaps one day, you will sever its head. My best to you and yours for the New Year. Following and sharing. Cheers!

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #9

#15
Agreed Harvey Lloyd I think the term is 'empowerment' without which we will inevitably default back to dependency.

Harvey Lloyd

7 years ago #8

#11
You expressed it very well here. I would state the major part of mentoring was exploration/trial and error. Basically investments of time. I believe the coaching aspect offers solutions but to some degree assumes the receiver will integrate the knowledge in a short period of time. To know something is one thing, to internalize and generalize requires time in trial and error for each participant. Based on my understanding this is the component you are adding through your coach development process. The goal of mentors/coaches should always be the internalization and generalization across a wide matrix. Lacking this component the mentored will require support at each new challenge. Creating a dependency, to some degree offering the support for developing snake oil in the first place. Adding to Don Kerr comment, whenever i see dependency i become skeptical. Coaches/mentors should enhance my abilities not secure the dependence with 12 easy payments.

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #7

#10
Thanks for that Don Kerr I've been taking blows from the snake charmers for quite a while now. So a couple more would just serve to thicken my skin a little more!

Harvey Lloyd

7 years ago #6

#10
It is hard to come forward with critical thinking when one is engaged in seeking hope. You bring up some of the excellent arenas where folks lurk with snake oil. Dementia is another area where one grabs hold to anything to find hope. I was the support part of a mother in law diminished by this dreadful disease. I was able to offer critical thinking but realized for my wife, she was seeking hope. A very humbling journey.

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #5

#9
Gerald Hecht You're my hero! Have a great 2017 and may you continue to sprout forth and multiply.

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #4

#8
You are so right Harvey Lloyd Mentoring was always so effective in bringing out the best in individuals. I would just add that effective mentoring incorporates several essential components: The knowledge and application, clarity and respect (based on bias-free sensitivity) for the relevant environment (people, systems, market etc) and the fortitude of self to stand accountable for all consequences. If the coach were therefore to replace the traditional mentor so that they supported the required IQ and EQ components required for success, they would necessarily need to have an intimate knowledge of the job description and requirements, personal aptitude of the coachee (in the context of the job in question) through psychometric profiling, together with ongoing monitoring (tracking) of personal gratification and effectiveness. I personally would only have trust, in this regard, in a coach with a psychology degree, well versed in appropriate psychometrics and familiar with the corporate terrain. Only this type of person would have the credentials for engaging with work environment, personal/spiritual space and relevant nurture influences (limiting beliefs) requiring intervention (coaching). This is exactly the way I train our accredited coaches in NeuroSurge and the online diagnostic serves to profile and track the individual and indeed the work unit.

don kerr

7 years ago #3

Ian Weinberg one needs to bring critical thinking to the fore. While I agree that the placebo affect can be comforting for a while it does little to help one move forward to good health. Thanks for this Ian. Will share. (BTW: if my experience is any guide, you can expect some of the snake oil folks to emerge and take a run at you!)

Harvey Lloyd

7 years ago #2

Long before we had "coaches" we sought mentors as we developed businesses from scratch. Most importantly we sought confidence in our choices. Mentors showed us how they worked through solutions within their growth. We learned from someone else's past experience. Today the level of professional coaches who have ascended to starredom is amazing. I would like to point out though, this profession has taken off for a reason. Mentoring was usually among business groups or friends who you shared a common interest. Coaches today (A large part of the category) seem to be assisting in emotional/spiritual areas. The need for this style of mentoring is a little unsettling. The indication is that folks have made it to success without the understanding of the emotional/spiritual maturity required to fulfill their future. For clarity emotional/spiritual equals, motivation, inspiration, confidence and creativity within solutions to real business issues. Something has changed over the last 50 years that has lead us to discussions, coaches and other forms of support concerning emotional/spiritual needs. I am a slow learner as i have to digest things and fit them into the matrix, if you will. But it would appear many are being thrust into a success matrix, climbing up the ladder and finding themselves without the internal skills required. I often get the i don't understand response when i speak like this as this current fast pace personal growth is the norm. I submit though that at each skill station we pass there is one part skill/knowledge and three parts wisdom from previous stations. If we miss the latter we will require coaching later on. A related field that i believe will become greater if the above need does exist.......Critical thinking coaches. If all we grabbed along the way were direct skills without the wisdom of application then we have answers yet no solutions. Critical thinking is what changes answers to solutions.

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #1

Cons have been around forever but now they have many ways to con , buyer beware! We even have fake news to add to the loop.

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