Coaching would normally take place for about 4 sessions of 1 ½ hours over a couple of months whereas Mentoring may happen over several monthsDue to the shorter-term nature of coaching, in organisations coaching is used to improve people’s current development and performance needs. For example, time management and motivation, whereas mentoring supports people to excel in their aspirational career through learning from an expert.It is best when coaching to have little or knowledge of the person’s as this aides with the need to not provide advice, whereas mentors are normally highly skilled and experienced in their role and offer advise based on experience.Coaching is a non-advisory practice which requires coaches to work with individuals to gain answers for themselves through questioning, time to talk and time to reflect.
Mentoring as a practice however is about passing on knowledge and sharing own experiences.This area is linked to the above. In coaching practice due to the thinking that answers come from within outcomes are made by the coach through the interactions because of effective questioning. In mentoring however, outcomes are developed at the start to support both mentor and mentee to understand the direction of what specific advice and discussions may need to take place.
