Mentoring and Coaching: What’s the Difference?
Although both can be useful, mentoring and coaching aren’t the same. Here is a quick overview of the important differences.
|
|
Mentoring |
Coaching |
|---|---|---|
|
Fundamental activity |
Advising. |
Evoking and reframing. |
|
Typical approach |
Mentor offers guidance about an organization, profession, industry, or career path. Focus is on present and future. Both mentor and mentee may draw on personal lessons from past experiences. |
Coach assumes client has his or her own answers. Rather than offering advice, coach uses open-ended questions to bring answers to light. Focus is on present and future. Generally, coach helps client draw from his or her own experiences. |
|
Topics |
Mentee and mentor discuss questions and challenges related to professional life and career progression. |
Coach helps client develop self-knowledge to create greater awareness of new possibilities. |
|
Length of relationship |
Typically six to nine months, but could last several years. |
Typically three to six months, but could last from one session to several years. |
|
Nature of relationship |
Contract between mentor and mentee is usually informal. Discussion topics vary from session to session. Meetings may be structured or ad hoc. |
Contract between coach and client is formal and well defined. The coaching objective is usually identified at the start, and a certain number of sessions occur at regular intervals during a defined period. |
|
Who’s responsible for taking charge |
Mentee generates agenda and focus for sessions. |
Client generates focus for sessions. Coach uses coaching frameworks and practices to support conversation and client's progress. |
|
Confidentiality |
Conversation is private and expected to be confidential. |
Conversation is private and expected to be confidential. |