What is the difference between coaching and mentoring?
Coaching as it relates to the IDP process involves planning the development of your staff. It means being strategic, not reactive when it comes to the allotment of training dollars. Coaching in this context also involves reviewing development plans annually to ensure that employees are receiving the type of training they need to be most effective on the job. Coaches also provide time for developmental activities. Mentors, on the other hand, are generally not directly involved in their proteges work. In terms of the formal mentoring process that exists here at Goddard, mentors are people who are senior to their protgs, usually in terms of grade level and tenure here at the Center. Mentors give advice to their protgs and help them attain their career goals, but they are not necessarily their supervisors, and they do not provide direct guidance in their protgs training activities or provide time or funds for such activities.
