Coaching and mentoring are on the rise with more people seeking help to enhance their career prospects. But what’s the difference between a coach and mentor, how do you find one and when could they be useful?
“A coach is normally a paid role, with someone who has an expertise in getting the best performance out of people,” says Daniel Priestley, CEO of Dent Global. “They might not be a high achiever in the specific domain of the people they are coaching, but they are respected for their coaching skills.”
A mentor is someone who has achieved a more senior position within a similar field, says Priestley. “They are more experienced, more seasoned and have achieved results that are similar to the goals of the mentee. Mentoring is often not paid, although it’s normally right to pick up the coffee/lunch bill if a mentor is giving you their time or opening a door for you.”
When to use them
Dent Global is a training organisation that has worked with over 3,500 businesses over the past 10 years, specialising in helping entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial teams to scale up and take positive impact. Priestley has hired coaches for himself and others – “They were brought in for specific goals that we wanted to achieve, and it was useful to have someone outside of the company to inspect our thinking and check in on our results.”
“A mentor is useful at any stage of life, but it can be particularly useful when navigating a challenging transition or facing a new problem,” he adds.
Mehram Sumray-Roots is founder of YADA Events and CMO at Freshers Festival Group. “I was mentored by Elliot Kay for around three years, and we are still in contact. I was at the stage in my career where speaking opportunities were important for progression, but a few years before I did a pitch competition, my mind went blank. I decided I needed to gain public speaking skills and overcome the fear. Elliot is an author on the subject and runs a public speaking training company, so I started as a client but quickly became someone that Elliot mentored,” she says.
According to Priestley, finding a mentor can be tricky. “I’ve had great mentors and each time it has been someone who’s had great chemistry with me from the first meeting and who indirectly stands to gain if I succeed. I know that these mentors enjoyed passing over their wisdom as much as I enjoyed receiving it.”
Priestley says that there are hundreds of people who call themselves a mentor or coach and charge a lot for their services. “There’s nothing wrong with paying people for their valuable input provided it’s affordable and you know what you are getting,” he comments. “Most big companies spend about 5% of their revenue on learning and development so that should serve as a guide for what you might spend. The perfect situation is to have a mentor who isn’t charging you a direct fee like an angel investor or supplier.”
Having a mentor enabled Sumray-Roots to overcome her fear and progress her career. “Once I’d overcome that obstacle, the opportunities were endless. It was important to have someone that I knew supported me and wasn’t charging a large amount of money to do it. They did it because they wanted to see me succeed.”
The more you get to know your mentor, the more you respect them, says Priestley. “If, however, the more you get to know your mentor, the more you realise they aren’t who you thought they were, it can be a red flag. If a mentor ever encourages you to do something unethical or immoral or something that could harm your reputation, it’s time to politely exit the relationship.”
Think about why you want to have a mentor first, says Sumray-Roots. “What areas do you need support in and what can someone do to help you succeed and overcome obstacles. A mentor should be a partner in your success and listen to your needs. If your mentor can open doors for you that’s great, but they should be helping you to open those doors yourself.”
Genuine mentor relationships are hard to find, but a mentor is not the only option for getting ahead. “A coach could be a viable alternative if they are affordable,” comments Priestley. “Joining an accelerator programme or group-coaching programme can be powerful because it combines learning as well as a network of likeminded people.”
It’s also possible that someone would gain huge value in being a mentor to another person; there are charities that seek mentors for young people in their care and there are mentoring programmes to support new employees in companies. “Some of your best breakthroughs can happen when you are supporting someone else,” concludes Priestley.
