It seems that nowadays just about every organization is utilizing coaching and/or mentoring in one form or another. However, if you look for books about Mentoring in particular, there are none.

Any reference to, or explanation of, Mentoring usually consists one or two chapters in a book with a title that includes the phrase "Coaching and Mentoring." If you examined the mentoring programs of 100 different organizations you would find 100 different definitions for and approaches to Mentoring.

Coaching is more defined as a practical skill but is still somewhat misunderstood by the corporate world. With the reemergence of training dollar availability, "coaches" of all types have hung out their shingles with the promise of increased performance and improvements in any area important to the executive.

What exactly, then, are coaching and mentoring all about? Simply put, they are about improvement. As stated previously, they are very similar; the lines between the two become blurred but there are distinctions and specific times when either or both are appropriate. The descriptors below are but a few of the characteristics of each discipline.

Coaching		Mentoring
Teacher/Guide		Teacher/Guide
Facilitator		Sounding Board
Advisor/Champion		Career Counselor
Internal or External Asset		Internal Confidant

As a general rule, coaching targets a very specific skill set or competency whereas mentoring is more general in nature. The coach impacts the coachee through championing their learning experience while holding them accountable to take the actions necessary to achieve their goals. The coach has the skills and the training to help the coachee accomplish specific goals and can be a paid external consultant or, with training, an individual internal to the organization. A coaching relationship is based on specific goals and is generally more short term in nature.

The mentor impacts the mentee's growth through sharing their experiences and their character. The mentor has the experience and knowledge of the corporate environment that can make a huge contribution to the mentee's career progression. A mentoring relationship is usually set to a specific timeframe but can last a lifetime. The relationship can and should continue as long as goals are met, both parties desire to do so and additional goals are set and agreed to.

To determine whether coaching or mentoring is appropriate we must look at the organizations' environment and culture. In an environment where there is little or no trust, an external coach would be best. Conversely, if relationships within the organization are mutually respectful with trust and good will present, both internal coaches and mentors can yield significant benefits to all. Skill sets of organizational personnel can also be a factor. If people within the group are proficient in the skill set targeted for improvement, coaches can come from within the ranks. If required abilities are not present an external coach (or expert) would be appropriate.

The important thing to keep in mind is that coaches can indeed come from within an organizations ranks. Internal coaches might need to be trained and assisted in this effort but they can yield significant benefits at a minimal cost, they are one of the best ROI's you will find.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that coaching is a methodical process, not a single step or event. In future articles we will explore the coaching process to provide a framework with which an internal coach can operate as well as discuss how to develop and run an effective mentoring program for your organization.

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