Mentoring and Coaching – What’s the Difference?

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It is the difference between training a crack shot and teaching
the survival mysteries of the jungle. The former dispatches an
imminent danger; the latter provides the ability to anticipate
and control any risky situation.

Both disciplines are required in today’s world.

Educators teach and teachers educate even though there is a difference between the two activities. Lecturers tutor and tutors lecture even though their roles are different. A good boss is a mentor as well as being a boss. We all fill dual roles throughout our lives.

There is a difference between mentoring and coaching but many mentors coach and many coaches mentor. Coaches tend to be full-time and devote their lives to coaching. Mentors are often part-time, retaining their main or portfolio jobs while mentoring people who seek their help. Staying in touch with day-to-day business and life keeps them up-to-date.

When mentors are coaching they usually have specific, limited aims. When a Terrific Mentor is coaching a Mentee as part of the Career and Job Package s/he will be dealing with their resume, helping them prepare letters of approach to potential employers, rehearsing them for job interviews. This will all be part of the business of finding their purpose, vocation and objectives in both life and career. A Mentor’s work is holistic.

The analogy with a ship is useful. A Captain is trained to deal with the sea but not expected to know every port or hazard. Sailing through uncharted waters with severe ocean currents or pirate attacks, he will take on board a Pilot, experienced in what the ship has to face. ‘Master’s orders, Pilot’s advice.’ Captain remains in charge.

A Mentor is like a Pilot. He helps navigate through unfamiliar times. For an individual these include uncertainty about career path, getting a job, managing relationships, making the Mentee’s thinking more creative and their actions more fruitful, improving communications.

A Mentor helps a business simplify its lines of communication, reduce costs of management by making it more effective, improve individual managers’ performance to deliver greater employee participation and reduce staff turnover. Developing an organisation means individual development, especially helping the CEO develop the organisation’s culture. Every organisation is the lengthening shadow of its boss.

In any organisation the departmental managers are coaches. They are trained to be and this is a managerial skill they need. Not all are mentors, however. A well-run organisation makes the use of its most experienced by showing them how to be mentors to others in the business. Mentoring turns the best brains into assets for all.

A Mentor never decides what his Client or Mentee is to do. He has a view, asks questions, gives advice, tells stories. Mentee, not Mentor, makes decisions. Mentors have experienced the hazards we face. They have conducted job searches, hired and fired employees. All have managed businesses and relationships. A good Mentor has seen many aspects of life; s/he has wide experience and excellent communication skills.

Everyone and every organisation needs a Mentor or Pilot at some stage.
Life is not a static target for which we constantly strive. It is a moving, purpose-driven objective that if we get it right will keep us satisfied, bring us enough to lead a fulfilled life and leave us with the greatest satisfaction worth having – “I’d like to do all that again”.

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