They are commonly used words, but do we know the difference
Coaching and mentoring are both terms used regularly in the workplace as options to develop staff. Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but they are different. This blog will explain coaching and mentoring and the benefits of each.
Coaching
A coach is someone who supports their client’s self-development to reach their goals and full potential.
In the workplace, a coach will provide a safe environment to challenge their client, asking questions to foster self-reflection to assist in achieving goals. Coaching facilitates awareness of self and positive changes in behaviour to help the client grow and gain self-confidence. Coaching involves one-on-one learning.
Coaches do not give advice, nor do they share experiences. The focus of coaching is to help the client reflect and clarify their desired goal, and then identify the steps to achieve it. All the answers come from within the client, assisting them to build self-confidence with each successful step they take. As coaching is a personal development experience, a client will usually only have one coach at a time.
While a coach that understands the business can use that insight to shape the questions they ask, knowledge of the sector is not essential as the coach’s skill lies in asking questions that help the client find the answers within themselves.
Coaching is unlocking people’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” – John Whitmore, in Coaching for Performance
Mentoring
A mentor is someone who shares their knowledge, skills and/or experience to help another (the mentee) develop and grow.
Mentors are people who have a depth of experience in a specific area that they share with mentees through giving advice and sharing their expertise. The interaction is generally specific to a skill area the mentee seeks to develop. The information shared is primarily from mentor to mentee through advice and guidance on how to face specific challenges and grow their skills. These insights help the mentee avoid potential problems in their career, reducing the chance of failure. Mentors guide mentees on their journey.
In comparison to coaching, the mentoring relationship is much more directional. The mentee receives specific information about situations which they can apply to their own circumstances, accessing the experience and knowledge of their mentor to achieve success. A person can have multiple mentors at any one time in different areas they are seeking development.
A mentor is a more experienced individual willing to share knowledge with someone less experienced in a relationship of mutual trust/” – David Clutterbuck, in Coaching and Mentoring
Coaching is usually time-bound and based on a plan to reach an identified goal. Mentoring is generally long-term, often informal and flexible.
Coaches can be mentors, and mentors can also be coaches, and it is possible for someone to provide both coaching and mentoring, though not at the same time. Coaches facilitate self-awareness, whereas mentors provide information for action. The two things which are the same for coaching and mentoring are:
- The person coached or mentored has a goal they wish to reach.
- They are seeking support for this journey.
People are different and they respond to different methods of growth and development. Some people learn through mentoring, and some people grow with the help of coaching. Choosing whether you need a coach or a mentor depends on the type of development and growth you are seeking.
The key benefits to Coaching and Mentoring
As outlined above, both mentoring and coaching have a range of benefits, which, when conducted correctly can benefit both the individual receiving coaching and/or mentoring, along with the mentor or coach as well as the organisation the individual works for. Here are some benefits of mentoring and coaching:
- Both mentoring and coaching are extremely effective learning techniques.
- Mentoring and coaching can be formal and informal, with mentoring often seen more informally and coaching often seen more formally.
- Both can increase employee engagement and retention when applied.
- Mentoring and coaching can be implemented in any organisation or business structure.
- Mentoring and coaching can increase the confidence and interpersonal skills of the person providing the mentoring or coaching and the person receiving it.
- And finally, both can dramatically improve individual performance.
To summarise, a mentor shares their knowledge and experience to help the mentee in their development. A mentor has greater experience and knowledge than the mentee in the selected area for development. A coach, on the other hand, helps the client discover themselves and work through their specific hurdles. A coach will help turn failures into learning experiences relevant for the client.
Here at Xseed Lead, we provide both executive coaching and mentoring services to our clients – focusing on leadership, management, gender equity and social inclusion for those in the government (public), agriculture or aid sectors. Contact us if you would like to discuss either of these services.
Author Bio
Deborah Knight is the founder of Xsead Lead with a background in organisational and individual leadership and executive coaching.
As a coach, Deborah aims to create an inclusive and respectful space where individuals and organisations can do the work necessary for growth and change. She is also passionate about helping women be valued for themselves while also contributing and being successful.
Apart from her company which she is deeply passionate about, Deborah also loves bushwalking, reading, travelling, and learning new things.
For any coaching or organisational support enquiries Deborah can be contacted via email: info@xseedlead.com.au or via her company website which is www.xseedlead.com.au.
