How to Tell if You Need a Coach or a Mentor
You need to make sure you get value for money from a coach. They are really expensive, with some costing a small fortune. They can charge this because they know that when they do a good job they can transform not only an individual, but also a workplace.
Too often though, people confuse the role of a coach with a mentor. This can be an expensive mistake. Through my job I’ve been a workplace coach for three years, and I’ve seen a lot of people not quite get what a coach is. Although not insurmountable, it leads to the odd false start.
Similar, but not the same
Coaches and mentors are different roles. I’ve seen adverts and offers and courses that highlight how good a coach is, based on their prior experience in a particular field. Something along the lines of “Hire Bob B as a workplace coach because he founded 23 $3 billion dollar companies”.
Well done Bob — but while his experience of creating companies makes him an interesting candidate to be a mentor, it doesn’t guarantee he’ll be a great coach.
Coaches don’t need to have made millions in the same field as you. They don’t even need to have worked in the same area. A great coach will bring out the best in you no matter what their personal experience is
