The 5 Key Differences With Coaching And Mentoring

Jul 5 / Kathryn Sandford

“A coach has some great questions for your answers, and a mentor has some great answers for your questions.” — Unknown

  1. Coaching is about focusing on building your capability to improve your performance, while mentoring focuses on support, advice, and long-term personal development.
  2. The relationship with a coach is short-term—6-12 months, while mentoring is a much longer-lasting relationship that can last for years.
  3. Coaching is more structured in its approach and often has set tasks for you to complete, while mentoring tends to be more informal and on an as-needed basis, driven by the mentee.
  4. With coaching, the coach will ask more thought-provoking/challenging questions, whereas in mentoring, the mentee will ask more inquiry-based questions to access the mentor’s knowledge and expertise.
  5. Coaching has specific, measurable outcomes to achieve, whereas mentoring is more focused on the overall long-term development of the mentee rather than specific results.

Now that you know the difference between coaching and mentoring, the next step is to figure out which one is the best option for you.

Here are 2 questions for you to consider when deciding between Coaching or Mentoring:

  • Do I want to develop my skills and capabilities to improve who I am and my performance currently, or do I want to gain more insight, advice, and knowledge about my future and what that could look like?
  • Do I want to invest in myself and pay for a coach? If not, then a mentor is a more realistic option


Two great quotes that describe the difference between coaching and mentoring relationships:

“A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”
— Tom Landry

“I think mentors are important and I don’t think anybody makes it in the world without some form of mentorship. Nobody makes it alone. Nobody has made it alone. And we are all mentors to people even when we don’t know it.”
— Oprah Winfrey

If you still can’t decide, why not have both?

When considering whether you need a coach or mentor, remember that you can have both! You could have an informal relationship with a mentor who guides, advises, and supports you, while at the same time have a professional coach who keeps you accountable and where the relationship is more time-bound, specific, measurable, and performance-driven.

The Value of Coaching and Mentoring for Me

I have had a number of coaches and mentors over the years, and I don’t know where I would be without the support and guidance of these people.

Some of the mentors in my life have been formal relationships where I have sought them out, and many have been informal relationships that have come about because we have met and share common interests or ideas.

What I love about the mentoring relationship that I have experienced is that I know my questions will have answers that come from the wisdom, experience, and respect that these mentors have built throughout their lives. My mentors want me to succeed in life, and I know that they are invested in my success because they choose to be in a relationship with me. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Each coach that I have paid for has improved my performance, my productivity, my self-belief, and my confidence in my skills, strengths, and my value.

Why coaching works for me is that I know I need to be kept accountable. Knowing that I have tasks to complete, which will be assessed at the next session, is the motivator I need to complete the tasks—no excuses or distractions!

My personal trainer every week challenges me to be stronger and fitter, even when I don’t believe it. My business & sales coach challenges me (every session) when I don’t do what I said I would—e.g. finalise my sales strategy, write up my sales report, etc.

It’s tough going—but if I want a return on my investment (ROI), I have to commit to doing the work! When I do the work, that’s when exceptional results are achieved by ME!

So if you are thinking… what am I going to do now? Maybe a coach could be your answer.
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