Many people do not know the difference between Coaching and mentoring.

It's important for managers and leaders to know the difference. While there are common skills between them the key difference is an empowering mindset.

By understanding this you are able to approach team building in a much more impactful way. Or seek the benefits yourself when deciding on finding a mentor or a coach.

Now, let's dive in.

Main Point #1: Coaching is not telling

Give someone a fish, feed them for a day

Mentoring is passing on experience directly. This is how I did it, this is how you should do it. Coaching is more about teaching someone to fish and feeding them for life. Using powerful questions to uncover the coachees mindset, self-beliefs, thoughts, feelings and how that relates to their actions and impact.

Main Point #2: Coaches don't provide content

Coaches do not need to be experts in the industry or life area the coachee is in. This is often not the case for mentors.

The content of each coaching session comes directly from the coachee. If the Coach starts bringing their own view or experience into the session - they are now moving into a mentoring space.

Main Point #3: Coaches co-create the agenda

The coaching agenda is co- created by the coach and the coachee as a partnership to meet goals identified by the coachee.

In mentoring the mentee sets the agenda. The mentor assists by answering questions.

Coaching is often used to address specific challenges while mentoring can be used effectively to learn specific skills or knowledge.

Both may lead to successful goal progression and real, lasting change - it depends on the situation and outcome you are looking for.