Building organisational capability through coaching, training, and mentoring

Depending on the setting, leaders, human resource practitioners and employees often interchangeably use these three terms, but they refer to three different organisational capability interventions. As a way of searching out the difference we could simply do a Google search which would at least separate out definitions. To dig a little deeper, we could use an online dictionary definition of 'to coach', but this only looks at coaching from a sporting lens. For leaders, HR and employees looking for solutions to benefit the organisations, this isn’t helpful.

Getting clarity on terminology

Search in LinkedIn under jobs that include the search word ‘coaching,’ and you will get a list back of questionable leadership coaching roles connected to generating sales for an online program, ‘No experience required.’ In reality one person might call themselves a coach, but instead of coaching, they are selling products, or they might be providing mentorship. Another might be a trainer, but they have labelled their service as coaching. So how can you, as a leader, tell the difference? As a helpful starting point consider these as useful definitions:

1. Coaching The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a creative and thought-provoking process that inspires them to maximize their professional and personal potential.” (ATD - October 29, 2021).

Coaching requires engagement with individuals or groups regularly in ways that help create alignment to the organisational culture and goals. An effective coach focuses on solutions without judgement of the individual's current capability and supports the individual or group in gaining clarity on their development.

Coaches asks more than they tell and help individuals and teams develop the skills and mindset necessary to come to solutions themselves by way of thoughtful questions and inquiry.

2. Mentoring/Mentorship Mentorship is defined as ‘an employee training system under which a senior or more experienced individual (the mentor) is assigned to act as counsellor, guide, or advisor to a trainee or junior (mentee).’ The mentor is tasked with providing support, and feedback on the mentee.”

Mentoring is a relationship between two people with the goal of professional and personal development. The ‘mentor’ is usually an experienced individual who shares knowledge, experience, and advice with a less experienced person, or ‘mentee.’

A mentoring partnership may be between two people within the same company, same industry, or same networking organisation. However, the partners come together, the relationship should be based on mutual trust and respect and can offer personal and professional advantages for both parties.

3. Training When it comes to training, a trainer is simply passing on knowledge that can be used to upskill or multiskill you or your team. Upskilling focuses on extending an employee’s current understanding of an existing skill. However, multiskilling is more about training employees on new or related work areas to broaden their usability in the organisation.

Training is often a group endeavour, which means you’ll hardly have one-on-one sessions with your team members. In this sense, growing and learning as a team can be an effective way to boost solidarity and accountability within an organisation.

However, the challenge now is to reinvent how we lead, teach, and convene learning by replacing the ‘sage on the stage’ with ‘the guide on the side.’

What’s the Practical Difference?

Coaching, mentoring, and training might seem similar, however the difference whilst subtle are significant.

Coaches assume that employees are the experts in their business. Through insightful questioning and appreciative inquiry, a coach helps employees increase their thinking, capabilities, and reflection skills. Coaching is unique as it focuses on application of new or more effective approaches to leadership, work, and life. With trainers and mentors, they are the assumed experts. They are sharing either their own advice and experience or teaching a specific skill or approach.

Understanding this is crucial because coaching provides lasting and meaningful changes over the short and long haul, whereas mentoring and training provide ideas and information about a particular problem or topic for a specific period.