Do you have a COACH or MENTOR, and is it working for you?

International Mentoring Day is on the horizon (27th October), so this week I thought it appropriate to demystify the subtle, but real differences between mentoring and coaching.

Reality is, that in some period of your life as part of your career development, or as an entrepreneur growing your business, you may have participated in either type of professional development relationship, you may even have a preference for one over the other. The following insights may challenge you existing beliefs and preferences!

Understanding the differences.

In a nutshell, professional development, coaching and mentoring are key tools used to support the success of individuals and businesses. If you aspire towards success, it’s a safe bet that you can realise that ambition much easier with the support of a trained and experienced business coach or mentor.

Let’s demystify the difference between the two so that you can decide what’s best for you or your business.

So, what is the difference between mentoring and coaching?

A simple analogy for business coaching can be taken from any sport. Every successful high-performing athlete or sporting team has a coach, so why not a business or business manager?

The coach watches, provides feedback, instructs on whatever skill set needs work and generally provides powerful motivation to the subject. Like an athlete no matter how expert they are at their skill or craft, successful business leaders contract someone who is engaged to be an objective observer, advisor, and confidante to provide external and dispassionate insight on the performance of the business.

A coach is someone who can assist the athlete to fine-tune their skills and tap into their highest levels of performance. The same principle applies to business leaders and owners who want to improve some area of their individual or team’s operational performance.

The coach observes patterns of behaviour and assists the business (team) in fine tuning their skills, processes, and cultural behaviours to improve performance.

Mentoring on the other hand involves the sharing and transfer of know-how and lived experience (tacit knowledge), in an immediately useful way. A good mentor shares by asking questions that guide the subject (Mentee) towards their own conclusions, reasoning, and thinking that enables them to learn, assimilate, and use experiential expertise. A business mentor relates business matters using narrative (stories and examples), posing challenges that require good thinking, and scenarios for choices to be considered and acts as a sounding board for ideas and undeveloped thoughts.

The mentoring outcome provides greater self-assurance around thinking, focus and strategy for the business and the individual.

The person who seeks coaching or mentoring support, generally wants to learn more and better (innovative) ways to improve their performance, communication, interpersonal skills, and personal contribution to business, personal, or family success. This may include people who want to improve their performance in their present capacity, or those who are riding a wave of growth and need to “raise the bar” with their skills, business decision making, and competence.

Business performance coaching has typically been the responsibility of a Training / Coaching Consultant or Business Manager. Traditionally they have followed the three basic styles of coaching: motivational, evaluative and developmental. Each of the styles can be effective, depending on such factors as the experience of the individual (client) or team they are working with, the types of products and services being offered by the business, and the natural inclination and skills of the contracted trainer or coach.

The process difference

Coaching

Before an effective coaching process can be achieved, clear performance goals and expectations must be set. In other words, what you are expecting from this person (your coach), both now and in the future, is determined by clearly defined goals. Once these goals have been set, a clear idea of the coach’s role and any necessary learning (by you) can be identified, and a system of learning and practice created to achieve those outcomes. Coaching must link into the overall role of the individual becoming more effective and achieving better individual results.

Coaching involves helping people gain greater confidence in the completion of tasks and necessary skills to guide them in improving their performance.

Mentoring

Mentors are not usually involved in the business’ day-to-day operations as often as a coach would be; however, they still play a clear role in assisting the mentee to set direction. The role of a mentor encourages people to work through personal challenges and achieve their goals. Their primary function is to assist people in achieving their full potential, to be a guide, a sage, and a sounding board.

Based upon previous experience and a wealth of wisdom collected through their own success, the mentor is a good listener, and through structured questioning techniques he / she takes on board all available information, collates , and then encourages the individual (mentee) to make clear and informed decisions that drive improvements in personal productivity or performance.

In my published book, ‘The Power of Mentorship’ we have dedicated an entire chapter on the theme of effective questioning techniques and using the skill of “Questions that reveal”.

Where can you apply mentoring in your business?

Well, do you have that next great idea or innovation bouncing around in your head, keeping you awake at night? Are you at the crossroads with making a KEY decision about your career or business’ future? Do you have unanswered questions in relation to marketing, brand development, industrial relations, compliance, and growth strategies?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, then this is where a MENTOR can really help. Imagine having another successful business owner / manager, or access to a (panel of mentors) willing to share their wisdom and experience with you, when and where it may be needed in YOUR business.

Don’t expect your mentor to be a management consultant. A good mentor will point you towards choices and guide you to self-select what works for you. They will not tell you the answer to all your problems, so don’t expect it. A good mentor assists you in discovering the most appropriate answer for yourself, and in that way, they transfer ability to you that is a lifelong asset.

Typically, mentors can provide business support by making you a more decisive leader and more effective in addressing challenges across the following areas:

??????improved productivity

??????improved organisational strength

??????improved quality and customer service

??????vastly improved retention of employees

??????better bottom-line profitability

In summary Business Mentoring for owners and managers goes beyond executive coaching, and engages in conversations around specific business challenges, including growth management, strategic planning, policy implementation, and providing alternate scenarios and options for you to explore.

In affect COACHING, can change what a PERSON DOES, and MENTORING can change who the PERSON becomes.

Based upon the above analysis, I am curious to know what are your top tips for finding and working with a mentor or coach? I look forward to reading ALL your comments in this Linkedin feed.

If you are keen to grow your business or team, and believe that you would benefit from utilising the services of a highly regarded and award-winning business mentor, email me direct?[email protected] or tap into my Calendly diary here to lock in a complimentary 30 to 45 minute discussion on mentorship. Mark Jones Calendar?