What is the Difference between Coaching, Mentoring, Counselling, Training and Managing?

Overview

Amit Kumar is a busy mid level corporate professional working with a large reputed FMCG organisation. Of late he has been facing stress related issues impacting his work life balance. Amit is confused whom to turn to in this hour of need ? Should he visit a Counsellor? Or would a Life Coach be able to help out ? Amit has also been googling and has been contacted with a few Mentors as well !

In the modern world post pandemic, we come across millions of individuals looking up to experts for solutions to their ongoing challenges. Challenges to finding meaningful employment, overcoming financial hurdles, work life balance, inability to cope with stress, fear, future and much more. It is but natural that most of them would not exactly be experts in knowing which category of psychological problem they are facing and therefore whom to approach for the right solution. In a free market where demand outstrips supply by leagues it is to be expected that they fall prey to the inappropriate solution providers.

In many cases they could even start the wrong treatment with medication when a simple counselling could have resolved the issue. As the graph shows the demand for each service eg Coaching, Mentoring, Counselling, Training or Managing continues to rise each year. It is imperative we understand each concept and where to apply it. As budding coaches it is important to quickly discover whether we are treading on wrong territory in the first place !
Before differentiating each one of these, all of these share the following in common: communication; interpersonal sensitivity; and relationships.

What is each role all about ?

COACHING: Coaching is a form of development in which an experienced person, called a coach, supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance. The learner is sometimes called a coachee. Thus, there could be Life Coaches, Parental Guidance Coaches, Business Coaches or Sports Coaches. Typically the coach assesses the key issues faced by the Coachee and guides him / her to arrive at solutions by skilful probing. Someone who is facing a practical challenge in work or life and is looking for tools and techniques to address them requires such services.

MENTORING : Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and professional growth of a mentee. The purpose of mentoring is to tap into the existing knowledge, skills, and experience of senior or high performing employees and transfer these skills to newer or less experienced employees in order to advance their careers. An individual facing dilemma in career, unable to make a firm choice about his / her work role or existing / new assignments in work or life needs this service.

COUNSELLING : Counselling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counselling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counselling; and prevention and health. Counselling is a process of talking about and working through your personal problems with a counsellor. The counsellor helps you to address your problems in a positive way by helping you to clarify the issues, explore options, develop strategies and increase self-awareness. An individual bogged down with a belief based on past experiences, maybe n early childhood eg., may require counselling by a certified counsellor. The counsellor helps the Client re-visit past experiences, delayers belief systems and creates new beliefs that help address life’s issues from a psychological perspective.

TRAINING : Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one’s capability, capacity, productivity and performance. Thus, Knowledge, Skillsets and Attitude could be enhanced and the trainee(s) maybe influenced to develop new habits over time. Training could be aimed at changing either technical or behavioural competencies.

MANAGING : Management is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a non-profit organization, or a government body. Managing involves the Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Communicating and Monitoring of key activities with a view to achieving a set of pre-defined goals for the individual and the team. The manager’s task is to ensure the task gets done as per agreed upon budget, timelines, quality standards and customers’ expectations. The Manager is responsible for the delivery of team results.

As we could see there are distinct differences between each of the above. There are some overlaps amongst all of these as well.

• Author Name: Ayan Banerji
• Title of the Blog: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COACHING, MENTORING, COUNSELLING, TRAINING AND MANAGING?
• About the Author (a short description of yourself):
  • Ayan is a globally certified Facilitator and Business Coach with international work experience and has worked closely with 100 corporate houses and colleges to help identify and address work related competencies
  • Program Attended with CTT: CTT Level 1 April 2021 Batch
  • Reason for taking this program: To be globally certified as a Coach
  • What worked for you: Learning from so many talented professionals across the globe
  • What benefits you got: Knowing about ICF, examples, different approaches to Coaching