We hear a lot about coaching and mentoring — for good reason. As Zig Ziglar famously said, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” The words “coaching” and “mentoring” are often treated as if they’re interchangeable, but they’re not.
No matter what your stage of life is, both mentors and coaches can be valuable resources. So what’s the difference between the two?
Mentors
So mentors are successful people who share their hard-won wisdom. Mentors also provide insight and guidance as an entrepreneur encounters challenges along their journey. The mentor typically functions in a reactive capacity, responding to issues as they arise. Mentors may not have expertise in the mentee’s field, but they understand how to navigate the business in general.
Coaches
Coaches, on the other hand, often have expertise in the same field as the people they’re helping. A true professional coach is certified and trained through the International Coaching Federation or ICF and certified and possesses strong process business and management skills.
CEO's utilize professional Coaches to anticipate and tackle specific industry and professional challenges. They’re prescriptive and proactive by nature, actively participating in strategizing and co-creating successful outcomes with their clients.
Identify your needs. The first step would be to identify a specific need, you’ll likely be served well by a coach. For example, if your company has chronic organizational development issues that need to be addressed to scale the business, a coach with a proven track record in helping companies grow through those issues is a better bet than a mentor.
Strive to have it all. This doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. Most successful entrepreneurs use a network of mentors and coaches advising them on any number of things. If you are working with Ms. Buckingham, You’re lucky... because she is both.
Having someone in your corner, like Susan Buckingham who’s both a coach and mentor is extremely beneficial. A gifted coach/mentor knows which hat to wear in each situation and can seamlessly shift from general mentor to proactive coach, depending on the circumstance.