Difference Between a Coach and a Mentor
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
What’s the Difference Between a Business Coach and a Mentor?
People in general often use the words ‘coach’ and mentor interchangeably. However, they are not the same thing. If you’re looking to hire someone to give you guidance and advice, you really need to know the difference between these two entities. Quite frankly, you’ll need both at some point in your business.
Business Coach Defined:
A business coach is someone hired to help you dissect and increase your performance. If you’re in business, and are not getting your desired results, then you need a coach. A coach will observe your day to day activities – what you do, how you do it – and give feedback. This feedback helps to develop your business skills.
Mentor Defined:
A mentor is someone who has more experience than you in your desired field. A mentor is there to provide general advice and guidance. A mentor often does not provide solutions to your problems. A mentor will tell you what to do. It’s your job to figure out how.
Coaches and Mentors are similar in some ways
Both of these relationships aim to improve your results. You might determine there is a new skill you need to obtain, or you might need to develop a certain style of doing business. Your needs will be determined based on your current set of skills and knowledge base.
The great thing about mentors and coaches is that they provide an objective view of your business from a higher level, and are not personally invested the way you are.
Ultimately, success or failure depends on whether you follow the given advice. You are the one that has to do the work!
Mentors tell you where you need to go. Coaches help you get there!
How Coaches and Mentors are different
Coaching is a formal arrangement, and a paid position and for a limited amount of time. They are confined to a specific area of business, and can act from a position of authority. The coach is hired with a particular goal in mind. Once that goal is reached, the coaching relationship is terminated.
Mentor relationships are usually lifelong and less formal, and not a paid position. A mentor could mentor you as a part of their own development or because you have a personal relationship with them. Having a more personal relationship with a mentor, they can give guidance to solve your own problems in different aspects beyond business. They are usually there to provide words of wisdom, and give you perspective. A mentor has no authority over you and the relationship can be mutually beneficial, with the mentor getting nearly as much out of it as you do.
Now that you know the difference between the two, you can determine which you need at this time. As I stated earlier, you will need both at some point, but which one will depend on you. Both entities are there to help you perform better, but the relationship and function is different.
Keep marching forward,
LuSundra
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