Coaching vs. mentoring

Coaching vs. Mentoring

25 Ways They ’ re D i f fe rent

Which approach i s bes t su i ted fo r your o rgan i za t ion ’s spec i f i c

needs?

Here ’s a s ide by s ide analys is of the two methodologies…

Coaching  ²  Task  Oriented  

Mentoring  ²  Rela/onship  Oriented  

Differentiator #1

Coaching  ²  Short  Term  

Mentoring  ²  Long  Term  

Differentiator #2

Coaching  ²  Performance  Driven  

Mentoring  ²  Development  Driven  

Differentiator #3

Coaching  ²  Can  be  done  as  needed;  no  

design  necessary  

Mentoring  ²  Program  design  needed  to  

create  effec/ve  program  

Differentiator #4

Coaching  ² Manager  directly  involved  

Mentoring  ² Manager  involved  only  

indirectly  

Differentiator #5

"I  am  not  a  teacher,  but  an  awakener.”    

-Rober t F ros t

Coaching  ² More  easily  evaluated  and  

measured  for  ROI  

Mentoring  ²  Less  easy  to  measure  for  

ROI  

Differentiator #6

Coaching  ²  Reliance  on  performance  

management  systems,  e.g.  reviews,  360’s  etc.    

Mentoring  ²  Not  dependent  upon  

performance  management  systems    

Differentiator #7

Coaching  ²  Feedback  by  coach  to  

manager  about  progress  in  development    

Mentoring  ²  No  feedback  by  mentor  to  

manager  

Differentiator #8

Coaching  ²  The  Coach  is  paid  for    

services    

Mentoring  ² Mentor  receives  no  

compensa/on  

Differentiator #9

Coaching  ²  Coach  operates  

independently    

Mentoring  ² Mentors  operate  with  

assistance  from  the  Mentoring  Program  Manager    

Differentiator #10

Coaching  ²  No  training  of  coachee  

needed    

Mentoring  ² Mentors  and  mentorees  

trained    

Differentiator #11

Coaching  ²  Focus  is  more  on  business  

issues  than  personal    

Mentoring  ²  Focus  is  on  personal  and  

professional  development    

Differentiator #12

The  delicate  balance  of  mentoring  someone  is  not  crea3ng  them  in  your  own  image,  but  giving  them  the  opportunity  to  create  themselves.”    

-S teven Sp ie lberg

    ”Image  Credit:  Steven  Spielberg  Cannes  2013  3"  by  Georges  Biard.  Licensed  under  CC  BY-­‐SA  3.0  via  Commons  -­‐  hJps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steven_Spielberg_Cannes_2013_3.jpg#/media/  

Coaching  ²  Lower  ini/al  investment  

cost    

Mentoring  ²  Higher  ini/al  investment  cost  

(lower  over  /me)    

Differentiator #13

Coaching  ²  Lends  itself  to  online  

soPware    

Mentoring  ² Management  of  the  mentoring  

program  lends  itself  to  soPware  but  not  the  rela/onship  itself    

Differentiator #14

Coaching  ²  Coaches  leave  

organiza/on  when  done    

Mentoring  ² Mentors/mentorees  remain  in  

the  organiza/on  &  can  provide  ongoing  mentoring  to  others    

Differentiator #15

Coaching  ²  Done  by  inside  or  outside  

content  expert    

Mentoring  ² Mentors  are  normally  within  

the  company    

Differentiator #16

Coaching  ²  Can  be  done  for  remedial  

purposes    

Mentoring  ²  Never  remedial    

Differentiator #17

Coaching  ²  Internal  poli/cs  not  

usually  affected    

Mentoring  ²  Internal  poli/cs  a  considera/on  

in  program  design    

Differentiator #18

Coaching  ²  Corporate  cultural  change  

may/may  not  occur    

Mentoring  ² Mentoring  is  transforma/onal  

and  affects  the  corporate  culture    

Differentiator #19

“Tell  me  and  I  forget,  teach  me  and  I  may  remember,  involve  me  and  I  learn.”    

-Benjamin  Franklin

Coaching  ²  Diversity  may  or  may  not  

be  included    

Mentoring  ²  Diversity  is  a  component  of  

mentoring    

Differentiator #20

Coaching  ²  Coaching  done  1-­‐on-­‐1    

Mentoring  ² Mentoring  most  oPen  is  done  

1-­‐on-­‐1  but  other  models  may  be  used  as  well    

Differentiator #21

Coaching  ²  Content  exper/se  more  

important  in  coaching    

Mentoring  ²  Interpersonal  skills  more  

important  in  mentoring    

Differentiator #22

Coaching  ² Manager  can  be  coach  of  

own  employee    

Mentoring  ² Mentor  is  outside  mentoree’s  

direct  supervisory  line    

Differentiator #23

Coaching  ²  Coaching  is  one-­‐direc/onal    

Mentoring  ² Mentoring  is  bi-­‐direc/onal    

Differentiator #24

Coaching  ²  Coaching  is  focused  on  the  

business  person    

Mentoring  ² Mentoring  involves  the  whole  

person    

Differentiator #25

Coaching  is  about  a  behavioral  transforma3on.  Mentoring  is  about  a  personal  transforma3on.”    

-Rene Pet r in Founde r & CEO Managemen t Men t o r s

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and coaching?

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