What is the relevance of a label to success?
They both lead to personal development. One is client led and co-created with the client leading with the content. The other the content is led by the ‘professional’.
Does the definition and the difference matter when you are aiming for results?
I have coached and mentored for many years in business, community and sporting contexts. The definition of what coaching and mentoring is a hot topic not for discussion here however you can get the gist of coaching from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council definition:
“Coaching is a process limited to a specific period of time that supports individuals, teams or groups in acting purposefully and appropriately in the context they find themselves in. The coach supports clients in achieving greater self-awareness, improved self-management skills and increased self-efficacy, so that they develop their own goals and solutions appropriate to their context.” (EMCC definition)
Mentoring on the other hand is:
“Mentoring is a developmental process in which a more experienced person shares their knowledge with a less experienced person in a specific context through a series of conversations. Occasionally mentoring can also be a learning partnership between peers.” (EMCC definition)
So what is often said is:
“As long as I get results quite frankly I dont care.”
In fact some clients are so sceptical of what coaching and mentoring is that as soon as you talk about it they switch off.
So does it matter knowing the difference?
Well in organisations that are wanting to create a more supportive individually driven approach to communication and development it can be helpful. For others its irrelevant.
The choice is yours
I love rolling my sleeves up and getting under the skin of a significant challenge working with high energy, new and established teams (mostly entrepreneurs, tech and small businesses) to be productive, high performing and prosperous (healthy and happy).
