Coaching, Mentoring & Sponsorship. The Basics

Did You Know That Coaching, Mentoring & Sponsorships Are Different Things?

I have had the privilege of having members of our global team in our local office over the last two weeks. It has been awesome!  When our teams are together, we always commit time towards strategy and planning, team building and deep discussions on people and talent. coaching, mentoring & sponsorship are core to the time together!

As part of our focus on people, I always have 1:1 discussions. One of the most common topics I discuss in these sessions was career development. While career development takes many different forms (see my previous post on the importance of creating a development plan) one area that was common was questions around mentors and coaching.  All sorts of questions surfaced from the team.  What is a mentor/coach/sponsor? Do I need one? How do I find one?

Given the questions from our own teams, I thought it was worth a share with our readers. Enjoy!

Importance Of Surrounding Yourself With A Great Network

Building a network is one of the most important factors of your success and long-term growth and development. Whether you are an athlete learning from others (e.g. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & John Wooden), great peers and friends in industry (e.g. Warren Buffett & Bill Gates) or learning from mentors and coaches guiding you thru important years of your life (e.g. Maya Angelou & Oprah Winfrey) it can be profound.  What amazes is me is that we will go to the doctor to get help when we are sick, go to a physical therapist to get help with recovery, yet many times we don’t use the right resources to grow personally and professionally – mentors, coaches and sponsors are core to this.

Below is a quick summary on each, recognizing the differences and each of their roles.

What Is Coaching?

What is the definition of coaching? Coaches are hands on. Working with teams or individual employees, good coaches use tools such as active listening & empathy to identify opportunities for improvement and growth. Coaches point out skills needing development and guide you in-goal setting. A coach’s input helps you recognize the obstacles you need to overcome as part of your growth and development. But it’s up to you to decide which actions to take to make it happen. Through constructive interaction, coaches help employees gain better awareness of skills development needs and to accept accountability for improvement.

Coaching is one-on-one activity, although one person may be a coach to many different people. Like sports coaching, business coaching is about enabling you to learn a skill, overcome a challenge, or improve your performance. Typical coaching activities include questioning, supporting you in setting goals, allowing you space to explore different approaches to a problem and constant encouragement. It is generally a short-term, intensive process with regular, frequent meetings. Coaching usually takes place in work time, with the agreement of your line manager. In fact, your direct manager could be your coach or could have identified a suitable person to coach you.

What Is Mentoring?

What is the definition of mentoring? Mentoring is more abstract. A mentor doesn’t watch every play and is more likely to provide guidance based on anecdotes than tips about keeping your eye on the ball. Professionals in all fields can benefit from mentoring relationships. In contrast to a coach, whose work is short-term and focused on perfecting specific tasks, mentors counsel people long-term. The relationship may be formally structured through organizational or educational programs, or informally established between the mentor and mentee. Mentoring focuses on building business savvy and self-confidence.

Mentoring also is a one-on-one activity, but usually takes place off-line, outside the normal reporting hierarchy at work. Your mentor must be able to listen to you in confidence, and that would be impossible if she were also your boss. In fact, mentoring can be an informal arrangement that your line manager may not even know about. It is generally a longer-term process than coaching. A mentor might guide you through a significant transition at work, such as promotion to senior management, or offer support throughout your career. She will probably have had similar experiences to you which allow her to empathize, understand your issues and offer you useful advice.

What Is Sponsorship?

What is the definition of sponsorship? Sponsoring is a form of marketing. Companies who want to attract customers sponsor events and athletes to get their brands noticed. In the business world, sponsorship doesn’t involve printing brand names on race cars or athletic gear, but the effect is similar, if on a smaller scale. Sponsors are well-respected business professionals in positions of power who have networks of relationships they can call on to influence decisions. A business professional with a sponsor has a stronger chance of getting hired, promoted or assigned to an important project than someone on his own. Think of the sponsor as an advocate in your corner when an opportunity arises in the workplace.

A sponsor takes mentoring to the next level. A sponsor is a powerful, senior figure who will be your advocate, recommend you for promotion and ensure that you get opportunities. It is entirely informal. You can (but most likely do not) appoint a sponsor: it all depends on someone recognizing your potential and being prepared to put his or her own reputation on the line in order to give you a leg-up on the career ladder. However, if you have a mentor who is influential in the company, it is possible that he/she might turn into a sponsor.

Remember that life is a game never won or lost, only played.