Mentoring and Coaching
Coaching versus mentoring
Coaching is a structured, goal-focused, usually time-bounded conversation in which the coach uses questions, listening, and reflection to help the coachee reach their own conclusions. The coach need not be a subject-matter expert. Mentoring is a longer-term developmental relationship in which a more experienced mentor shares perspective, experience, and access to networks, and may give direct advice.
Concepts to know
- GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) is the standard coaching conversation structure.
- Core skills: active listening, open and probing questions, summarising, and feedback framed as SBI (Situation–Behaviour–Impact).
- The coachee owns the agenda and the actions; the coach resists solving the problem for them.
- Contracting and confidentiality: what success looks like, how many sessions, what is shared with the line manager.
- Mentoring pairs work best when deliberately matched on goals and background, with a periodic review of the relationship.
Traps
Questions blur the two. "The employee has the technical skill but needs exposure to senior stakeholders" points to mentoring; "the employee is capable but stuck and needs to think it through" points to coaching. Watch also for: assuming a coach must be the expert; coaching sliding into advice-giving or therapy; and treating a mentoring programme as a substitute for performance management.
Rule of thumb
If the answer already sits inside the person, coach. If the missing ingredient is experience, access, or perspective, mentor.