Coaching Vs. Mentoring Vs. Counselling

Coaching is a powerful dialogue between a coach and a client within a productive and result-oriented context.

Coaching is all about change and transformation that a client aspires, which emanates from asking right questions than providing right answers.

Coaching focuses on present challenges and future opportunities by leveraging on strengths and empowers the clients to achieve goals.

Coaching is specific, need based, time bound and measurable.

Coaching aims at addressing real workplace challenges.

Coaching is usually confidential, allowing people to freely discuss delicate issues, to shed defences, to explore blind spots and shortcomings.

Counselling looks for causes behind the problem or performance deficit, whereas coaching emphasizes new competencies.

Counselling generally involves minimal assessment whereas the coaching model interfaces with learning and development tools (e.g. 360 degree feedback) and behaviourally diagnostic assessment tools introduced at the beginning of the coaching engagement.

Counselling focuses on exploring reactive problems and behaviours, whereas coaching is proactive and looks to recognize and prevent problems before they arise.

Consultant’s services are information-based whereas coaching revolves around relationships.

Consultants are frequently expected to provide answers whereas coaches evoke answers from the client.

Consultants tend to prescribe canned or commercial solution whereas coaching is more personalized and concerned with the individual’s needs, values and goals.

Consultants generally focus on work aspects whereas coaching is more holistic and considers other aspects of an individual’s life.

Consultants tend to deal with specific problems whereas coaches are more forward looking and always ready to create and take advantage of opportunities.

Mentoring process is critical in the socialization phase for a new entrant in the organization whereas coaching process occurs in the context of work environment for effective performance.

Mentoring encourages an informal relationship whereas coaching is a formal contractual relationship.

The emphasis of mentoring is on reflection and guidance whereas coaching develops specific skills and learning.

Mentoring passes on wisdom, whereas coaching emphasizes on personal change via self-awareness and reflection.

In mentoring, solutions are offered whereas in coaching, solutions are explored and discovered.