Coach or mentor: what's the difference and how to choose?

I am often asked what the difference is between coaching and mentoring and how to know which professional to choose. In fact, both are professionals who work with the same objective in mind: helping you achieve the results you desire through the application of personal and professional development methods. In practice, they are professionals who use different techniques to achieve similar results. So, how to know which professional to choose?

The coaching presupposes a process of development of competences, bearing in mind a defined objective for a certain period of time. For this, the coach will have the mission of guiding his coachee to get out of the state he is in and to train him in strategies that promote a focus on action , greater commitment and development, using a plan of tasks to be developed, so that these are achieved within a given period.

The coach does not necessarily need to have experience in the area in which the client works and does not have an auxiliary role in solving problems. Its function is to help the coachee in the process of self-knowledge, so that he/she looks for the best solutions through a set of questions that are put to him/her and develop specific tasks. Gaining awareness of one's capabilities, demystifying pre-existing limitations by investing in training and empowerment, are some of the benefits provided by coaching, both for personal and professional life.

But the coaching should not be confused with mentoring and consulting in career management, which presupposes a more oriented approach and focused on technical, strategic and tactical issues, so that the client can carry out his process until his integration in the job market. Developing skills and training clients to change careers, create a new job, or reallocate resources are some of the objectives of a mentor.

Mentoring is a relationship established between two people, where a professional with more experience and technical skills helps another professional toachieve their results, providing them with practical techniques and tools. It is the mentor's role to help the mentee (or mentee) to grow in a committed relationship. The level of different experiences contributes to learning through sharing knowledge in formal or informal meetings where the mentor helps the mentee in matters of a professional nature and even personal development, working on limitations and beliefs that may be preventing the desired progress.

Thus, coaching is a process that helps the person to get out of the state they are in and motivate them to act in order to achieve their goals. goals. mentoring presupposes more specialized help and a high level of experience, with a theoretical and practical basis to help someone less experienced in a given area. At the base of his work, a coach uses questions and challenges and the mentor bets on dialogue, practical guidance and advice.

If you can advance your career without technical guidance and you already have a high degree of autonomy, coaching may be the best option for you. Alternatively, you can use tools that allow you to take the first steps alone and put your business plan into practice . If, on the other hand, you need a closer and more targeted follow-up for the implementation or development of your activity, booking a professional mentoring session might be the most appropriate.< /p>