Is there a difference between coaching and mentoring?
Was your father a coach or a mentor? According to a study by Matt M. Starcevich, Ph.D., CEO Center For Coaching & Mentoring, Inc., there is definitely a difference between the two roles.
Look at the table below and see which style of help your father gave you when you were a child.
Differences between Mentoring and Coaching
| Mentor | Coach | |
| Focus | Individual | Performance |
| Role | Facilitator with no agenda | Specific agenda |
| Relationship | Self selecting | Comes with the job |
| Source of influence | Perceived value | Position |
| Personal returns | Affirmation/learning | Teamwork/performance |
| Arena | Life | Task related |
Read the full article (very well done) by clicking here.
According to Wikipedia…
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus’ foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus’ palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.
When Athena visited Telemachus she took the disguise of Mentor to hide herself so the suitors of Telemachus’ mother Penelope could not see her. As Mentor, the goddess encouraged Telemachus to stand up against the suitors and go abroad to find out what happened to his father. When Odysseus returned to Ithaca, Athena appeared briefly in the form of Mentor again at Odysseus’ palace.
Because of Mentor’s relationship with Telemachus, and the disguised Athena’s encouragement and practical plans for dealing personal dilemmas, the personal name Mentor has been adopted in English as a term meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced colleague.
The person being mentored is called a protege.
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