What are the differences between mentoring and coaching?
Mentoring and coaching are often confused as they are related but not the same. A mentor may coach, but a coach is not a mentor. Mentoring is about the relationship while coaching is about function and specific skills transfer. Other differences include: Mentoring • Takes place outside of a line manager-employee relationship, at the mutual consent of a mentor and mentee • Focuses on the professional development of the mentee • Provides personal and professional support • Relationship is usually mentee driven • Relationship crosses job boundaries • Relationship may last for a specific period of time (i.e. 12 months) in a formal program, the pair may continue in an informal mentoring relationship afterward.
