When the kids start speaking, it is typical for him/her to use the same word for more than one thing, usually incorrectly. Therefore it is challenging to understand the correct context. Interestingly it is the same in the world of coaching. Coaching is often considered a synonym for mentoring and is interchangeably misused. Let’s first take a look at the definition of coaching.

“Coaching is a less directive style of conversation that encourages people to think and decide for themselves.” Brilliant Coaching, 3rd edition by Julie Starr “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their growth.” John Whitmore “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” Timothy Gallwey Therapy, training, mentoring, and facilitation are usually interchanged incorrectly with coaching, although each of them has a specific purpose. Let’s take a look at the difference and similarities among all of these with coaching.

Coaching vs. Therapy

It is perhaps the easiest one to understand. Therapy is focusing on past experiences to understand the current situation. On the other hand, coaches are future-focused. Therapy is exploring the root cause analysis to investigate the problem; however, coaches focus on solutions. A coach empowers the client to solve the problem; on the contrary, a therapist throws the solution and directions. Furthermore, a therapist can also help with the mental health of the client, which is beyond the capability of a coach. The education requirement of a therapist is usually very high as compared to a coach.

Coaching vs. Training

Training and mentorship are commonly misused interchangeably with coaching. The main difference between training and coaching is that a trainer is an expert on the content, and he/she transfers his/her knowledge to the client. On the other hand, during coaching, knowledge is enhanced by asking powerful questions, and a coach doesn’t have to be an expert on the content. Also, training is typically short-term; however, coaching is usually a long-term engagement.

Coaching vs Mentoring

How many times does a coach come across a situation when the coach put a problem in front of the coach and expects a solution? Coaching is an asking mindset, not advising, which is a mentor’s job. The coach is asking open-ended questions; however, a mentor is giving the direct answer to the solutions. A mentor is an expert on the content, and a coach is an expert in the process, coaching process. Most sports coaches are mentors who transfer their experience and expertise to the sportsperson to grow. Incorporating coach and mentoring training into organizational development programs not only enhances leadership skills but also fosters a culture of continuous learning. By prioritizing these initiatives, companies empower employees to reach their full potential, driving both individual and collective success.

Coaching vs Facilitation

Let’s first start with what facilitation is. Here is a definition of a facilitator from the Merriam-Webster dictionary
“Someone who helps to bring about an outcome (such as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance.”
Although both coaching and facilitation are process-related work, a coach is more engaged with the client than a facilitator. Also, a coach has a higher responsibility for the growth of the person he/she is working with than a facilitator. Although it is possible to coach a team, generally, coaching is done on an individual basis and facilitation in a group.
It is essential to understand that sometimes we may need to wear multiple hats depending on the situation, but we may be aware at any particular time of which hat we are wearing so we can work better. Here is one diagram that explains the relationship among all of these, except for therapy

Agile Team and Coaching

It is a common question and confusion for lots of people that which situation is more suitable for each tool. Although there is no set formula that fits every situation, we can have some guidelines that help us to decide which tool is more suitable in a given context. Bruce Tuckman introduced his famous team-building stage in 1965 [1], which consists of four stages of team building forming, storming, norming, and performing. Although in 1977 he added one more stage adjourning here we focus our attention on only the original four.
In the forming stage, the team is new to the rules, so the most often approaches used at this stage are training and mentoring to set the ground. Once a team moves to the next step storming, there are naturally lots of conflicts that arise, and these can be handled by coaching or mentoring. During when team norming stage, where they have fewer disagreements and disputes, and they are taking the responsibilities, coaching and delegation are usually more suitable tools here. During the performing, when they are doing great, facilitation and observing are usually more appropriate tools. In the realm of education, coaching, teaching, mentoring, and facilitating converge to create a dynamic learning environment. These multifaceted approaches empower individuals to unlock their full potential, fostering a journey of continuous growth and knowledge acquisition.
It can be explained in this diagram.

Author
Zeeshan Amjad
Enterprise Agile Coach

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