Learning, Training, Mentoring or Coaching?

by Mike Neumann ITS Training

What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?  When should a manager manage, and when should s/he coach?

Learning

Any activity that helps a person develop.  In the context of this article, we are using learning to cover self-learn activities undertaken by the client.  These may be purely self motivated, such as reading books and manuals or undertaking research, or they may be initiated by a manager providing the materials.  We’re also including ‘stand-alone distance learning’ here, even though this is normally provided by a professional trainer.

This is really only suitable for the acquisition of knowledge.

Training

The ‘wholesale’ transfer of knowledge and skills.  Delegates have the chance to learn new skills and practice applying them and to absorb knowledge.  Skilled trainers will use a mixture of techniques to ensure that, although the course as a whole is written and delivered to the whole group, each delegate gets as much as they can from the event.

Best suited to learning new skills, training is also useful where knowledge must be absorbed and understood.

Mentoring

A mentor leads by example and is a role model.  The original Mentor was a legendary ancient Greek, who was given the task of looking after Odysseus’ son when the king went off to fight the Trojan wars.  Mentor shared his wisdom and experience in guiding Telemachus in the rule of the kingdom.

Mentors have considerable experience of the role they are mentoring.  Mentors will offer advice, suggest solutions and share their experiences.

Coaching

Coaches help you to apply your knowledge, skills and experience efficiently and effectively.  Generally, coaches are not expected to have specific knowledge of the job that they are coaching.  A coach’s role is to use highly developed facilitation skills to help the client to choose which approach to take in order to solve a specific issue.  Coaching should be non-directive, with the majority of the input contributed by the client ;  a coach’s job is often to do no more than ask questions :  the skill lies in knowing which questions to ask!  Coaches often teach clients interpersonal skills that may be used in problem solving. 

Ideally suited for helping clients to transfer skills or knowledge into the workplace, or for helping them to reach decisions, coaching is also used to help clients improve performance.