The Difference Between Coaching and Mentoring/ Consulting/ Teaching — Lorraine Hamilton
What is the difference between coaching and mentoring and consulting and teaching and all the things?
That was a question that I received from one of my Coaching Skills Diploma students. In the Coaching Skills Diploma we talk about the difference between coaching and counselling. It’s important to understand that distinction.
But this student asked
You’ve told me about the difference between coaching and counselling. We’ve touched on the difference between coaching and consulting. But what’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?
There are several different disciplines that all fall into the consulting, coaching, counselling space. I’m going to explain my understanding and my definition of what some of those are.
Coaching
I believe that coaching is a discrete set of skills designed for a purpose. You don’t need to have had any experience in the subject matter that you’re helping a client with.
Coaching is all about helping your client to make the right decisions for them. Getting clarity on what is the right path for them. Helping them to see the options that are available to them before they make that decision.
The result is that they do have clarity and certainty that they’re making the right decision as the unique individual they are.
Coaching isn’t so much about the content as it is about the process. Helping your client reach clarity and make decisions for themselves.
Mentoring
I see mentoring as being,
Look, I did this thing. You want to do that same thing. Let me show you what I did.
I think mentoring is often mistaken for coaching. When somebody has achieved something they want to give back by showing someone else how they did what they did.
I quite commonly see mentors describe themselves as coaches. Do you know what? It makes a lot of sense because sports coaches are where the term comes from. And it makes sense to make that correlation as sports coaches are often mentors. They’re often people who have had success in a particular sport, and then they want to train other athletes in how to reach the heady heights that they did.
I think that’s where a lot of the confusion lies, what we call coaches in the sports field are often mentors.
I see that a lot in the online coaching space where people are sharing their process. They are teaching something and they’re helping people along the way, so they’re not just giving them the content.
Consulting
This is more recommending that you do something. Consulting is advising based on the information that you provide your consultant and their assessment of your circumstances. They don’t need to have walked your same path, but they can advise which path is right for you and what you need to do to make it to the end of that path.
Consulting is
Let me advise and recommend
but they’re not in there helping you or holding your hand as you go through the process all the time.
Teaching
Teaching is, let me tell you how to do something. And teachers don’t necessarily have to have done the thing that they’re teaching. Their skill comes in understanding how to get their information across in a learning environment to help you get the best from their knowledge.
I know there’s still some overlap between these different disciplines, but I hope that’s helped to give you some clarity about where coaching sits in relation to mentoring, consulting, and teaching.
I’d love you to leave me a comment or reach out and get in touch and tell me your definition of coaching, mentoring, counselling and teaching.
Originally published at https://www.lorrainehamilton.net on November 11, 2020.
