What Is the Difference Between Executive Coaching and Mentoring?

I would now like to look at the history, definitions and different types of coaching and mentoring. Coaching has its roots mainly in psychology and sports coaching and is not a new concept as its connections going back over two thousand years to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates who saw himself as the 'midwife to understanding (Landsberg, 2002:8). Coaching in the area of business first really appears in literature in the 1950s. I have listed some definitions of coaching below:

"A helping relationship formed between a client who has managerial authority and responsibility in an organization and a consultant who uses a wide variety of behavioural techniques and methods to help the client achieve a mutually identified set of goals to improve his or her professional performance and personal satisfaction and, consequently, to improve the effectiveness of the client's organization within a formally defined coaching agreement" (Kilburg, 2000, p 142).

Looking at the definition above it can be said that coaching is an enabling process aimed at enhancing learning and development with the intention of improving performance in a specific aspect of practice. I agree with these definitions and would also add that coaching tends to have a short-term focus and really hones in on immediate challenges of the client.

I have found that there are many different types of coaching including life coaching (personal coaching), career coaching, performance coaching, spiritual coaching and team coaching. Executive Coaching (EC) has evolved from some of these other types of coaching, into a well established practice within organisations. EC is different from other types of coaching mentioned above, but does however incorporate many elements of the other types of coaching,.

Where the other types of coaching mainly look at things from the coachee's perspective, EC has a dual focus on working one-on-one to develop the executive as a leader while also helping that leader to achieve business results. I have found that EC's focus is more focused on improving the coachee's performance which will ultimately improve the effectiveness of the organisation and is therefore different to say personal or life coaching which is mainly aimed at the coachee.

Now that we have looked at some definitions of coaching we will take a look at mentoring and I have outlined a definition of mentoring below.

"...off-line help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking."

Clutterbuck, D & Megginson, D, (1999) Mentoring Executives and Directors.

I will say that Mentoring therefore has a longer-term focus than coaching. Mentoring is designed to encourage personal growth and has a wider focus of culture. Mentoring has many similarities to coaching but is quite different in many ways.. A mentor will usually have experience in a particular area and gives advice and tutors, where a coach's role is to assist and uncover abilities. Some of the main differences of coaching and mentoring are outlined below. I find when I mentor someone, I am in that position because of my experience or expertise in that specified area. I also offer more guidance and advice to the client than in coaching.