Coaching and Mentoring: Understanding the Differences and Similarities

Running head: MENTORING
Mentoring
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author Note:

1MENTORING
Task 1
Introduction:
There is difficulty in defining the term ‘coaching’ precisely since it is used in
different ways depending upon the context. Immense difficulty lies in distinguishing
between the coaching and mentoring. Both the method relies on either the coach or
the mentor for facilitating the individuals to learn and help them in taking
responsibility for managing their own learning. Although the foundation of both
remains on the coaching skills but mentoring requires certain additional skills for
supporting the mentee and guiding them through networking and career counselling
(Clutterbuck 2014)
One can always think about what is understood by ‘coaching’ and ‘mentoring’.
and might draw attention on the previous experiences where a person have some
mentoring or coaching experience either at work or in some other context.
Hence, considering the benefits at the hindsight it is seen that drawing
distinction between the concepts of coaching and mentoring is not just simple.
According to Clutterbuck (2008), the features that both has in common includes:
 Both requires and draws upon the experience of the helper
 Both involves in providing advice in certain form
 Both depends on the goals set by or for learner
 Both methods deals with the significant transitions that the learner wants to
make
 Both deals with the ambitions of the personal growth
He also added that, ‘Coach has great questions for one’s answer; a mentor has
great answers to one’s questions’. Management and individual development takes
place in various forms, some delivered by managers and some by external or
internal mentors or coaches.
A. Defining Coaching
According to Parsloe(1999), Coaching refers to the process that facilitates the
occurrence of development and learning for improving performance. A successful

2MENTORING
Coach requires understanding and knowledge of the process and the variety of skills
styles and techniques appropriate to the context where the coaching takes place
B. Defining Mentoring
According to Clutterbuck & Megginson (1999), mentoring is an off line help from
one person to another for making major transitions in work, knowledge and
thought process
As seen above, there are various similarities between the process of coaching
and mentoring. Mentoring, especially in traditional sense enables the individuals in
following the path of older and wiser colleague who possess the credibility of passing
experience, knowledge and out of the reach opportunities. On the other hand,
coaching cannot be performed based on the criteria that coach has direct experience
of the formal occupational role of the coach until the coaching is skill focused and
specific.
Skills coaching possess certain common characteristics with the one-to-one
training. The skills coaches and mentors combine a holistic approach towards the
personal development with ability of focusing on core skills that an employee needs
to perform according to their role. Hence, skill coaches and mentors are competent
and experienced in performance of the skills that they teach.
There is an increasing rate or change of the job roles. Traditional training
programme was too generic or inflexible in dealing with such fast-paced
requirements. In such instances skills coaching on one-to-one basis leads to a
adaptive, flexible, and ‘just on time’ approach towards skills development. It is also
possible to apply the coaching skills to the ‘live’ environments instead of taking the
people away from their job into the ‘classroom’ where it becomes less easier in
simulating job environment.
D. Differences between Coaching and Mentoring
Mentoring Coaching
Represents on-going relationship
that last for long term
It is more informal and the meetings takes
whenever a learner requires certain support,

3MENTORING
guidance or advice
Can be informal and the meetings
usually take place as and when
mentee needs certain guidance,
advice or support
Usually have a structured nature and the schedules
meetings on a regular basis
Have long-term perspective that
takes broader view of a person
It is a short-term process that focuses more on
development issues /areas that are specific
Mentor possesses greater
experience and qualification than
‘mentee’. Often a senior person in
organisation who passes on the
knowledge, experience and open the
doors to the otherwise out of the
reach opportunities
To undertake a coaching, the coach does not need
to have experience regarding the occupational role of
the client unless it is skill focused and specific
Mentee sets the Agenda with mentor
extending the necessary guidance
and support for preparing them for
the future roles
Here the agenda remains focused for the
achievement of the immediate and specific goals
Here the Focus remains on personal
and career and personal
development
Focuses more on the development/issues at work
Mentoring represents more about the
development of the professional
career of the mentee
Coaching focuses more on the development
areas/issues that are specific
A Mentor helps in shaping the belief
and values of individual’s in positive
manner often determining a long-
term career relationship with
someone who is experienced
It helps another individual in improving the
awareness and achieve and set goals for improving
the particular behavioural performance
A. Responsibilities of a Coach or Mentor
i. Being a good example:
One of the attribute of mentor lies in leading by example. On deciding
upon a mentee, it remains the sole responsibility of the mentor in