Coaching versus Mentoring

The International Coaching Federation defines coaching, “Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

The Association for Talent Development defines mentoring, “Mentoring is a reciprocal and collaborative at-will relationship that most often occurs between a senior and junior employee for the purpose of the mentee’s growth, learning, and career development.”

Both coaching and mentoring serve a purpose and provide value.  Often professionals have both a mentor and a coach either in progression or simultaneously.

A natural progression for professional development is moving from a degree into a role, earning certifications, working with a mentor, possibly engaging with consultants, and then working with a coach.  Coaching is an advanced form of development and supports results at an advanced level.  The research is clear and the average return on investment for a coach is 600% according to Fortune.

Consider what happens in a mentoring conversation as compared to a coaching conversation.

Mentoring Conversation: The mentor often sets the focus of the conversation or leads the conversation.  A mentor will give their opinion and offer advice.
·      Mentor: I heard you are doing well with your project.
o   Mentee: Yes, thank you.
·      Mentor: I also understand that scheduling the completion of the various components with different people is a challenge.
o   Mentee: Yes, it is.
·      Mentor: To manage that you can use the calendar system so everyone can see it.  It is also often helpful to have a meeting with everyone and explain interdependencies and get commitments to deadlines.
o   Mentee: Those are good ideas.
·      Mentor: If you want, I can chat with a few key people to have them support you in prodding people along.
o   Mentee: That would be amazing.
·      Mentor: What else can I do to help?
o   Mentee: I think that is all for now.  Well, maybe recommend a book for me on leading a team?
·      Mentor: Actually, I have a few in my office – you are welcome to borrow them.
o   Mentee: Thanks!

Coaching Conversation: The client sets the focus for the conversation and creates the agenda.  The coach asks questions, so the client thinks, explores, and makes their own choices.

·      Coach: What do you want to focus on in this conversation?
o   Client: I want some ideas for handling scheduling and follow-through with people working on different parts of a project.
·      Coach: What do you want to talk through to accomplish that?
o   Client: Well, calendaring is one thing.  And to do that will probably take a meeting.
·      Coach: Where do you want to start?
o   Client: Planning the meeting.
·      Coach: What are your steps for planning the meeting?
o   Client: First is to pick a date and time and doing that will mean looking at everyone’s availability in the calendar system.  Then I will add it to the calendar.
·      Coach: Excellent.  What is next?
o   Client: The meeting agenda.  I want to have a list of the various parts in order of required completion so the next thing on the list can happen.  I want to have a rough timeline for everything.  Then I can share those and ask them for questions or comments.  Then I will ask everyone to finalize their work time and completion time.  Finally, we will make sure it goes into the calendar.
·      Coach: Great work figuring that out.  Seems you both planned the meeting and addressed scheduling too.  What else do you want to cover?
o   Client: I think their accountability.
·      Coach: What are your ideas for the accountability?
o   Client: Well, their participation in finalizing the schedule is a start.  I can ask them if they understand the implications if we don’t meet the deadline.  I can let them know I will help if they want that or find them help.  In the end I think I have to ask them how they want to manage the accountability.
·      Coach: Seems you have great ideas – how does your plan feel to you?
o   Client: This feels great – thanks so much!

When someone really doesn’t know, a mentor is valuable because they can teach and guide.  When someone can figure it out a coach is valuable because it develops their thinking and strategizing abilities plus supports their ownership of the plan.