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One of the frequent questions that I am asked as a business coach is: “What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?” Even senior professionals and executives might mix up business coaching and mentoring.  While the skills required are similar, and both are used as professional development tools, the structure and the outcome are quite different.

Mentoring or Coaching?

Coaching and mentoring are similar, but involve different skills and a different approach.  In general mentoring is a long term relationship while coaching is short term and focuses on tasks and training. The best place to start is a definition of coaching and mentoring.

Coaching: The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

Mentoring: A simple, broad definition of mentor is “an experienced and trusted advisor.” as Oxford Online Business Dictionary defines mentoring as an “Employee training system under which a senior or more experienced individual (the mentor) is assigned to act as an advisor, counselor, or guide to a junior or trainee. The mentor is responsible for providing support to, and feedback on, the individual in his or her charge.” One note of clarification: While many organizations offer in-house mentoring programs, often as part of a leadership training program, it is common for mentees to work with mentors outside their organization.

Select the right coach or mentor

Coaches and mentors can be selected to work with professionals based on their industry expertise (sales, banking, health care, manufacturing, logistics), position expertise (marketing, finance, human resources), skill set (spokesperson, committee chair, trainer or conference presenter) or other valuable expertise that can enhance a professional’s life, like community service or board service.

The best way to understand the differences between coaching and mentoring relationships is a side-by-side comparison:

Topic	Coaching	Mentoring
Timeframe	Relationships are more likely to be short-term (week or months, but definitely not years) with a specific outcome in mind. However, some coaching relationships can last longer, depending on goals achieved.	Relationships tend to be more long-term, lasting a year or two, and even longer.
Focus	Coaching is more performance driven, designed to improve the professional’s on-the-job performance.	Mentoring is more development driven, looking not just at the professional’s current job function but beyond, taking a more holistic approach to career development.
Structure	Traditionally more structured, with regularly scheduled meetings, like weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.	Generally meetings tend to be more informal, on an as need basis required by the mentee.
Subject	Coaches are hired for clearance of goals and creating the plan in which the coachee desires improvement. Examples: improve leadership skills, communication, sales.	Within organization mentoring programs, mentors have more seniority and expertise in a specific area than mentees. The mentee learns from and is inspired by the mentor’s experience.
Agenda	The coaching agenda is co-created by the coach and the coachee in order to meet the specific needs of the coachee.	The mentoring agenda is set by the mentee. The mentor supports that agenda.
Questioning	Asking thought-provoking questions is a top tool of the coach, which helps the coachee make important decisions, recognize behavioral changes and take action.	In the mentoring relationship, the mentee is more likely to ask more questions, tapping into the mentor’s expertise.
Goal	The goal from a coaching agreement is specific and measurable, showing signs of improvement or positive change in the desired performance area.	Outcome from a mentoring relationship can shift and change over time. There is less interest in specific, measurable results or changed behavior and more interest in the overall development of the mentee.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the difference between coaching and mentoring, how will you know which is best…working with a coach or working with a mentor?

When to Use a Coach

• Develop raw talent with a specific new skill
• Enhance the experienced professional with a new or refreshed skill
• Help individuals who are not meeting expectations or goals
• Assist leaders in coping with large-scale change through a merger or acquisition.
• Managing new “blended” work teams and adapting to the merging of company cultures
• Prepare a professional for advancement in the organization
• Improve behavior in a short period of time, like coaching an executive to address the media on a specific topic
• Work one-on-one with leaders who prefer working with a coach rather than attending “public” training programs

When to Use a Mentor

• Motivate talented professionals to focus on their career/life development
• Inspire individuals to see what is possible in their career/life
• Enhance the professional’s leadership development
• Transfer knowledge from senior to junior professionals
• Broaden intercultural or cross-cultural ties within the organization
• Use the mentoring process as an entrée to succession planning

Choices

When deciding whether to use a coach or a mentor, consider the goal you wish to achieve. The coach and the mentor will help professionals in different ways to accomplish their goals. In fact, some professionals use multiple coaches or multiple mentors throughout their careers, depending on their desired goals. In both coaching and mentoring, trust, respect and confidentiality are at the forefront of the relationship. Here is an example of how a coach and a mentor could be used:

John is an energetic sales engineer and a high potential. While he is energetic and enthusiastic in sales team meetings, he becomes shy in front of senior managers. He becomes nervous, he fumbles and his mind wanders. His manager decides that he should work with a business coach. His boss hires a business coach to help John deliver better results, become more confident and productive. The business coach will give John the specific tools he needs to ease his tension, gain confidence, allow him to focus and apply his natural energy.

Since John is new to the sales department and a natural with customers, his manager sees his career potential immediately. He sees a bit of himself from 20 years earlier. He wants to groom John for a management position in the next few years. As a leader he has two options: To mentor John himself or to find another senior level sales professional to mentor him. Sometimes the boss plays the role of coach or mentor; sometimes, it is more appropriate to select another person either inside or outside the organization to assist the professional who needs help. Once you see early results, you will know if your decision was the right or needs to be modified.

Find Your Coach Or Mentor – Pro tips

As you delve deeper into working with a coach or a mentor, consider these final tips:

• Decide what assistance you need.   Are you trying to figure out how to climb the corporate ladder? Do you aspire to get a better job which pays more? Do you have an interest in working on more internal committees? Would you like to improve your personal skills so you can deliver more?  When you decide what your need is, find an appropriate coach or mentor.
• Trust and respect your coach or mentor.  Every meaningful relationship is built on the foundation of trust and respect. You must trust your coach or mentor to provide you with expert guidance, feedback and support. Respect his/her opinions and ideas for the same reason.  Your coach or mentor has lived through challenges that you may not have yet experienced.
• Establish ground rules. Determine how often you will meet, how long your relationship will last, outline of roles, importance of confidentiality and preferred methods of communication and feedback.
• Determine your outcome. What do you want to have happen to you at the end of the relationship? Discuss this with your coach or mentor.
• Open your mind and heart. Learning from someone who has more experience than you do and who can share successes and failures openly is a tremendous gift. The key to getting the most out of the relationship is your ability to enter into the relationship with as open a mind and heart as possible. Don’t be judgmental or too hasty in your decisions. Expect the unexpected.

As you can see, having a coach or a mentor may have a deep impact on your professional and  personal life in many ways. Keep your mind open to the possibilities. When you have been coached and mentored, then you can pay it forward. By coaching or mentoring others. Take what you have learned and pass it along to those who can benefit from your knowledge and experience.

Combined Coach & Mentor

Some professionals do offer both coaching and mentoring.  While useful on their own, having someone that is both a coach and mentor help with your business will get you the best results.

The mentor side will ensure that your goals are setup correctly and align with what you want from the business, and the coaching side will help you achieve those goals.

While this is extremely beneficial to any business, the combined approach works extremely well for trade businesses as sales people frequently need help with both immediate issues (such as cash flow problems), long term business strategies and putting this all together around the lifestyle goals they aim to achieve. 

What Will You Gain By Hiring Me As Your Coach?

• as a qualified business coach I will motivate you to do more, which means you’ll accelerate faster to reach your short- and long-term business goals.  When someone is holding you accountable to complete certain tasks within a specified time-frame you’ll be much more likely to follow through. Making progress feels good!
• As a business coach I will be your sounding board and supportive companion who’s right alongside as you take new steps into the unknown. You don’t have to do this alone, I drop you a lifeline if needed!
• A good business coach investing in your success – someone experienced in the realities of what it takes to create a thriving business – is straight and honest. I’ll tell you exactly like it is: what you’re doing wrong, why, and what you need to do to get it right. This kind of unbiased input also helps you grow a tougher skin to handle the inevitable ups and downs of business ownership.
• Business coaching services are the key to helping you have mental clarity. With your coach you will sort out what you need to do  when, and how. All while keeping you on track of responsibility to achieve your long-term vision. 
• A good business coach is your champion when it comes to understanding and acting on what you need to learn to up your game
• Ideally, you want to work with someone who is well seasoned at the helm of business – who has navigated the sometimes-rough seas and who can help you get results.

Confidence, insight, encouragement. Less uncertainty and doubt. Better decision-making. Accelerated and more efficient progress toward your goals. The excitement of watching your vision become a reality. 

When you are ready, I’m ready: let’s schedule a free clarity call and start the journey!

sources: Kent State University,Tradie Accelerator