Let’s start with a short explanation so you understand coaching: A mentor is someone who is there to give you tips, guide you, and provide advice to help you take the next step in your career.
A coach is someone who actively listens to you, reflects back in their own words what you say. But does not give advice or share their opinion.
Different approaches based on different needs. Now, let’s dive into some more details.
If you’re looking for differences on consulting, read my respective post.
What does a mentor do?
When selecting a mentor, it was often typical for me to choose someone who had achieved the career milestone I aspired to reach. This person served as a role model, someone I admired and looked up to in my professional journey..
For a successful mentorship, an agreement is established between the mentor and mentee. This can be a verbal agreement, as it’s not about legalities but rather about agreeing on how the mentor can best support the mentee.
Both parties determine the optimal meeting frequency and agree on the areas in which the mentee needs the most support.
As a mentor, you are asked to give constructive feedback, advise your mentee, and help them reach their specific goals. A mentor can draw from their own experience. Ideally they understand your work environment and potential issues.
Being a mentor is a voluntary role and does not involve payment. Be aware of the time commitment- on both sides. Remember, learning can go both ways, and a mentor can also learn from a mentee.
How does coaching differ from mentoring?
There are two main differences between coaching and mentoring. A coach is a paid professional who supports you with any topic that is important to you. A coach does not share their own opinion, give advice, or tell you the best way forward.
A coach actively listens to what you say. They reflect it back in their own words, and help you find solutions or possibilities on your own. A coach needs to maintain a neutral stance to get the best out of each session. Personal opinions will distract you from reaching your own goals.
It is important for coaches to have appropriate qualifications and formal coaching education. But, a coach can also come from outside your industry or have a very different background from yours.
Coaching is usually time-limited. You agree, for example, to work together for three months with six sessions and determine the goal to be reached within this timeframe.
What coaching and mentoring have in common
Regardless of which form of support is most beneficial to you, both coaching and mentoring require a lot of trust and confidentiality. Only in a safe and secure environment can a coachee or mentee open up and speak out, which is crucial for generating new ideas and solutions.
Both coaching and mentoring only work when there is trust and engagement in the process. There should be no expectations that the other person solves all problems. Neither that the coach or mentor provides a ready-made development program.
In both cases, you agree on a goal before the first session and discuss and agree on responsibilities.
Check here for my coaching services.
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
