To talk about corporate coaching, one cannot overlook mentoring, a similar yet distinct action. In fact, the answers to the questions “what does a corporate mentor do” and “what does a coach do in a company” have similar but non-overlapping responses. We discuss this more in-depth in this article. As you continue reading, you will also find 10 reasons why coaching benefits the company and leads it to success.
Let’s begin by clarifying the different roles.
What is mentoring?
What does a mentor do? A mentor is a “senior” worker who transfers their knowledge in a particular subject to a less experienced one. The mentor shares knowledge, expertise, and experiences to provide constant support, advice, and feedback.
What is coaching?
What does a corporate coach do? Guides individuals toward improvement in specific areas of professional or personal development, helping them achieve their goals and fully leverage their potential.
What are the differences and similarities between mentoring and coaching?
Mentoring and coaching have many similarities and just as many differences. On one hand, both are based on a one-on-one relationship with meetings that can take place in person and/or remotely; on the other hand, they have distinctive characteristics.
- While coaching focuses more on one’s potential, mentoring focuses on sharing acquired knowledge over time.
- While mentoring is usually a long-term relationship that can take a year or more.
- Mentors usually have more experience but do not have formal training in mentoring. Coaching is usually shorter.
- Mentoring relationships are generally informal, while coaches have a coaching qualification.
Mentoring is more directive, coaching is more guiding.
Mentoring is about learning expertise, coaching is about developing learning skills.
10 ways coaching and mentoring help business growth
1. Assists in strategic planning
Coaching and mentoring can steer business strategies and operational activities, facilitating role and competency transitions, bringing a new direction to management through succession planning.
2. Benefits any corporate structure
Whether in person or remotely through a platform like BRAVO!, regardless of the company’s size, mentoring and coaching offer productivity and work quality benefits.
3. Helps employees develop new skills
Whether learning to manage time more effectively or developing relational skills, it is much easier to do so with mentoring or coaching.
4. Increases employee confidence, productivity, and morale
Having a clear personal or professional goal as part of a broader development plan is essential fuel for anyone’s career trajectory.
5. Improves individual performance
Through the right training plan, it is easier to navigate the path to success.
6. Enhances employee engagement
Employee retention promotes company health, creating a productive work environment that builds better B2C relationships.
7. Builds on accountability and accelerates learning
A mentor or coach will help employees stay on track through regular check-ins.
8. Offers an objective perspective
Identifying weaknesses by providing a crucial objective perspective for the right strategic decisions.
9. Enables employees to overcome challenges
A coach or mentor can help you find the necessary solutions and answers to overcome the challenges that arise in the company every day.
10. Allows organizations to achieve their business goals
Identifying the necessary steps to reach your business goals and knowing the most suitable path to achieve them allows you to reach the finish line faster.