Coaching and mentoring are two concepts in which the professional serves as an accompaniment and guide to people who want to achieve a series of objectives in the emotional or professional aspect.
These two concepts can lead to confusion because they believe they are very similar, but they are different in their implementation. To see the difference between coaching and mentoring, let’s define the two concepts in advance:
- Coaching:It is a process in which a person is accompanied to get something specific, but no answers are given but what it is about is that through this help the user finds the answers himself.
- Mentoring:It is the relationship between a mentor, someone experienced and a student who guides, enriches with their experience and motivates to achieve their goals.
Difference between coaching and mentoring
The characteristics that best reflect the differences between coaching and mentoring are the following:
- Coaching is focused on objectives as a priority
For example, lose weight and have healthier habits.
The important thing is to develop here a plan associated with objectives to fulfill it. Mentoring focuses on the professional relationship, but the emotional relationship has a very important part. The trust generated by a mentor is essential for their students.
- Coaching is usually punctual, lasting mentoring
Coaching sessions can be punctual and do not need to be lengthened over time, depending on the case, but a certain number of sessions can be approximated at the beginning.
In mentoring they are lasting relationships that even continue after finishing work together. It creates a greater emotional bond and lengthened in time.
- Coaching is short and medium term, and long term mentoring
For example, when coaching training is carried out in a company and starting from the first minute to implement the recommended guidelines, these results will be seen in a more immediate time than the mentoring in which you work more individually and with a greater extension in time.
- The learning method is different in coaching and mentoring
In coaching it is the client who is finding their answers as the process progresses. In mentoring it is not so since from the beginning the experiences, ideas and guidelines of the mentor are shared with his student.