Some Use The Terms Interchangeably
Frequently, I hear the terms coaching and mentoring used to describe a helping relationship. When I listen more and ask a few questions, I discover that some people use them interchangeably. Both are helping relationships focused on helping a person (or team) thrive—first, some definitions, then some distinctions.
Mentoring is a one-on-one relationship between a less-experienced person (protégé) and a more-experienced person (mentor). It is to advance the personal and professional growth of the protégé. Coaching is a practice of collaborating with a person(s)-being-coached (a team member) and a coach in dialogue informed by skills, ethics, standards, theories, and models. Coaching seeks to co-create reflective learning experiences that support individual or team change. (Bennett & Bush, 2014; Bennett, 2024)
Similarities
- Focus on Helping: Both coaching and mentoring are helping relationships intended to support the development and performance of the person being helped.
- Skills: They require similar skills—e.g., listening for understanding, asking powerful questions, providing feedback, and reframing.
- Regulation: Neither mentoring nor coaching are regulated.
- Who can Provide: Anyone can provide mentoring or coaching.
Key Differences
- Context Expertise: In mentoring, the knowledge and experiences of the mentor provide solutions and options to the protégé. In coaching, the coach brings wisdom; however, the critical value added by the coach is the ability to guide the team member through a process of self-discovery, experimentation, and action in service of the team member’s goals.
- Advice & Direction: Mentors often offer advice, resources, and networking connections, whereas coaches tend to hold back their advice, resources, and networks. To help the team members, the coach tends to hold back from sharing advice or resources. The focus is on helping the team members discover insights and resources vs. providing them.
- Process: Mentors do not necessarily follow a defined process. Coaches use a particular conversation format or steps to guide the conversation with the team member.
- Code of Conduct: Mentors do not have a code of conduct. Professional coaches abide by a code of conduct—e.g., the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC) or the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Mentoring and coaching are both valuable resources to help team members grow, develop, and perform. While they share some similarities the differences can help you know which is most appropriate for your needs and the needs of others. I’d love to know your thoughts, so please leave your comments below.
Photo by Sweet Life on Unsplash
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The Manager’s Guide to Coaching for Change
For more information about coaching, consult my book, The Manager’s Guide to Coaching for Change (2024).
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© 2024, John L. Bennett. All Rights Reserved.