What is the difference between Coaching, Mentoring and Counselling?
Despite many similarities, I believe, there are even more differences between Coaching, Mentoring and Counselling.
Time frame.
The Coach’s sphere is future orientated and it first deals with person’s current emotional state (it means it also focuses on the present) and performance- not the past. Counsellor in this aspect first would need to know “what has happened” meanwhile coach is “focused on here and now”( Michael Neenan and Stephan Palmer (2001) Cognitive behavioural coaching. Stress News, Vol 13 No. 3). Counsellor focuses on three aspects- past, present and future. Mentor focuses on the future in the sense that s/he seeks professional growth of the mentee- future career focus.
Expertize.
Coach is not necessarily the expert of the subject meanwhile mentor shares his experience and helps mentee to grow as a professional. Coach is the expert of coaching not necessarily the master of the topic being analyzed. In this sense, if we compare counselling, it would be more similar to coaching as it deals with personal or psychological problems.
Performance.
Mentor shares information, knowledge, experience, gives advice and guidance- seeks to give positive impact on person’s professional life. It is not linked to performance objectives meanwhile coach facilitates the change and goal-focused process( Nick Edgerton & Stephen Palmer (2005) SPACE: A psychological model for use within cognitive behavioural coaching, therapy and stress management. The Coaching Psychologist VOL. 2 No. 2, 25-31) – it aims to impact performance. Counselling in this sense would be more about an employees behavior.
It means that it is focused on helping people with emotional distress which stops them being able to function as well as they would like( Carol Wilson and Gladeana McMahon (2006) What’s the difference? TJ, September 2006, 54- 57).
Start of the session.
Counselling starts with the problem of the client, meanwhile coaching starts with the goal of the coachee. In both counselling and coaching, concentration goes more to personal not professional issues. If we talk about mentoring, it could start with presentation of the mentor and his professional background and question for the mentee would be related to his career path.
Payment.
Mentoring normally is for free as more experienced colleagues at work provide it (or at least people from the same sector). Meanwhile coaching and counselling is paid. This would be different, of course, if the coach or counsellor is working inside the organization- in this case it would be for free, most probably, if it is being provided for the colleagues at work.
Other important aspects.
Neither Coaching nor mentoring is considered as a therapy meanwhile counselling can take a form of therapy. Coaching is also less regulated than counselling.
