Which one of the following is the main difference between coaching and mentoring?

Coaching is an on-the-job management development program, that occurs between an employee and his immediate line manager, for a specific and short-term purpose, to improve the performance and develop skills. Conversely, Mentoring is a career development initiative taken by the management, in which an experience person guides and motivates a less experienced one, in gaining competencies for professional development.

This article will help you to learn the differences between coaching and mentoring, so take a read.

Content: Coaching Vs Mentoring

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Conclusion

Comparison Chart

Definition of Coaching

Coaching is a capacity development process, in which an individual or a group learns to improve their performances through workshops, seminars, and other similar activities. In this process, an expert is provided to the learners who may be a senior employee or an external brought to the organization, to give training to the employees and analyze their performances and other job behaviors for the purpose of increasing efficiency and identifying training needs for further improvement. Coaching is time bound and well planned.

The person who directs or instructs is known as coach while the person who is being directed is known as coachee. Coaching helps in uncovering their professional capabilities of an employee, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, knowing their potential, building key skills, etc. which are helpful for the accomplishment of the organizational goals.

Coaching process has been classified into the following steps:

• Contracting
• Assessment
• Feedback and Action Plan
• Active Learning
• Review

Definition of Mentoring

Mentoring is a human development activity, in which a person known as a mentor, possesses good knowledge and experience shares it with another person called mentee who is having less knowledge and expertise to help him out in the development of his career, improving his self-esteem, enhancing productivity, etc. It is all about general development and psychological well-being of a person. Mentoring can be provided either by a person outside the organization or an individual who is within the organization.

It provides encouragement, insight, and counseling to the protege for the development of his career. The relationship between the parties is considered as mentorship, which is a long-term informal one. The mentor may include teacher, guide, adviser, consultant, host, counselor, etc. The main purpose behind mentoring is to provide open and face to face communication between the mentor and mentee to help an employee to attain social & emotional maturity and effectiveness.

The following are the major differences between coaching and mentoring:

1. Coaching is defined as a help given by an expert to an individual for the improvement of his performance. Mentoring refers to an activity where a person guides a less experienced person.
2. Coaching is task oriented, but Mentoring is relationship driven.
3. Coaching is for a short term. Unlike Mentoring, which lasts for a longer duration.
4. Coaching is well planned and structured while Mentoring is an informal one.
5. Coach imparts coaching, but a mentor provides mentoring.
6. Coach is an expert in the concerned field whereas mentor possesses high knowledge and experience.
7. Coaching aims at improving the performance of an employee. As opposed to Mentoring, which concentrates on career and all round development of the employee.

Conclusion

Coaching and Mentoring both plays a vital role in the human resource development of an organization. All individuals need supervision and support at various stages of their life whether if it is about their performance and efficiency or career and effectiveness. The ultimate goal is development must be there or else they will lose their morale which will result in the decrease of their efficiency and effectiveness. So, at periodical intervals, coaching and mentoring should be provided to the staff of an organization which will benefit the employee as well as the entity too.