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What if the career advice you’re following isn’t the one you actually need? In today’s fast-paced corporate world, leaders and managers constantly seek guidance to overcome challenges and accelerate their growth. But many confuse coaching with mentoring—two distinct yet powerful approaches that, when used correctly, can be game-changers for professional success.
Over the years, I’ve seen these approaches play out in various corporate settings. Let me share three specific scenarios from my experience. But before we dive into these real-world examples, let’s first clarify the key differences between coaching and mentoring.
Key Differences Between Coaching and Mentoring
Coaching is focused on achieving specific outcomes through structured guidance, helping individuals unlock their potential rather than providing direct advice. A coach acts as a sounding board, asking open-ended questions and guiding individuals toward their own solutions. Coaching is typically short-term and tailored to immediate goals.
Mentoring aids long-term professional and personal growth, with a mentor actively investing in the mentee’s development. Unlike coaching, mentoring involves sharing personal experiences, offering direct advice, and shaping an individual’s broader career trajectory. It provides a trusted support system where mentees gain strategic insights, industry knowledge, and guidance from experienced professionals.
Scenario 1: A Failed Project – What’s Next?
Coaching Approach: Guiding Leaders to Their Own Solutions
Context: Shiv, a mid-level manager, led a project that failed. He’s frustrated and unsure how to move forward.
Shiv: My project completely failed. The team missed deadlines, and the client is unhappy. I don’t know what went wrong.
Coach: That’s tough. Take a deep breath. Let’s reflect—if you had to pinpoint the biggest challenge, what would it be?
Shiv: We underestimated the scope, and communication broke down between teams.
Coach: Okay. What’s one thing you could have done differently to prevent that?
Shiv: Maybe a better kickoff meeting to align expectations upfront.
Coach: That’s a great insight. What steps can you take to ensure your next kickoff meeting sets the project up for success?
Shiv: I could create a more structured kickoff agenda and involve all key stakeholders earlier.
Coach: That sounds like a solid plan. How will you hold yourself accountable for implementing this in your next project?
Key Coaching Takeaway: Coaching fosters self-reflection and leadership growth, empowering leaders to uncover their own solutions and take ownership of future improvements.
Mentoring Approach: Sharing Real-World Experience
Context: Shiv is a rising leader seeking long-term guidance.
Shiv: I just failed a project, and I feel like it’s damaged my credibility as a leader. Have you ever been in a situation like this?
Mentor: Absolutely. Early in my career, I led a project that completely derailed. I learned the hard way that stakeholder alignment is everything.
Shiv: How did you recover from that?
Mentor: First, I took full ownership—no excuses. Then, I introduced a structured program-wide retrospective to ensure the team could learn from the experience and adapt for future projects. I can walk you through the framework I used—interested?
Shiv: Yes, that would be really helpful.
Mentor: Great. Next time, focus on frequent stakeholder check-ins and iterative planning rather than a rigid upfront plan. Ensure alignment at every sprint, and treat retrospectives as a continuous improvement tool, not just a post-mortem. Small course corrections throughout the project will prevent big surprises at the end. I’ll check in with you after your next project to see how it goes.
Key Mentoring Takeaway: Mentorship provides personal experience and direct advice, helping leaders develop long-term strategic thinking while emphasizing adaptive leadership and continuous improvement.
Scenario 2: Feeling Stuck in Career Growth
Coaching Approach: Helping Leaders Find Their Own Path
Context: Shiv feels stagnant in his career and isn’t sure how to grow.
Shiv: I’ve been in the same role for three years. I feel like I’m not growing, and I don’t know what’s next. What do you think I should do?
Coach: That’s an important realization. What does ‘growth’ mean to you? Is it a promotion, new skills, or something else?
Shiv: Honestly, I think I want a leadership role, but I don’t know if I’m ready.
Coach: What makes you doubt that?
Shiv: I’m not sure if I’ve positioned myself well enough for leadership.
Coach: Interesting. Let’s explore that—what actions could help you build leadership visibility?
Shiv: Maybe leading more cross-functional initiatives and speaking up in leadership meetings.
Coach: That’s a solid approach! Which one feels like the best starting point for you?
Shiv: I think I’ll start by leading a cross-functional project.
Coach: Great! How will you ensure you follow through on this plan?
Key Coaching Takeaway: Coaching helps leaders gain clarity and confidence by guiding them to their own insights rather than prescribing a solution.
Mentoring Approach: Strategic Career Advice from a Trusted Guide
Context: Shiv seeks long-term career guidance.
Shiv: I feel stuck in my career. I’ve been in the same role for three years, and I don’t see a clear path forward. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
Mentor: I’ve been there. The mistake I made early on was assuming that hard work alone would get me promoted. The truth is, visibility and strategic positioning matter just as much as performance.
Shiv: That makes sense. But how do I actually get noticed?
Mentor: Start playing a bigger role in leadership conversations. I used to assume senior leaders would recognize my work, but it wasn’t until I proactively started sharing insights and leading cross-functional projects that they saw me as leadership material. Want me to help you craft a plan to position yourself?
Shiv: That would be really helpful. Where should I start?
Mentor: Let’s first map out key opportunities where you can demonstrate leadership in the next three months.
Key Mentoring Takeaway: Mentoring provides direct career advice and strategic insights, giving leaders a clear roadmap for growth and visibility.
Scenario 3: Leading a Demotivated Team
Coaching Approach: Helping Leaders Build Their Own Leadership Style
Context: Shiv’s team is disengaged, and he wants to fix it.
Shiv: My team seems demotivated. They’re just going through the motions, and I don’t know how to fix it.
Coach: That’s a challenge, but let’s dig deeper. What’s changed in their environment recently?
Shiv: Workloads increased, and they’re getting fewer chances to work on interesting projects.
Coach: What do you think could make them feel more engaged?
Shiv: Maybe giving them more ownership in decision-making.
Coach: That’s a great insight! What’s one concrete step you can take this week to put that into action?
Shiv: I could delegate key project decisions and ask for their input in planning meetings.
Coach: That sounds like a strong step. How will you measure if it’s making a difference?
Key Coaching Takeaway: Coaching helps leaders uncover solutions on their own and refine their leadership approach through reflection and action.
Mentoring Approach: Teaching Leadership Through Experience
Context: Shiv wants guidance on building a motivated, high-performing team.
Shiv: I’m struggling with team morale. You’ve led successful teams—how do you keep people engaged?
Mentor: One thing I learned is that people need to feel valued beyond their deliverables. How often do you recognize their contributions?
Shiv: Honestly, not much. I’ve been focusing more on results.
Mentor: I get that, but recognition fuels engagement. Early in my career, I underestimated its power too. Then I started small—public praise in meetings, handwritten thank-you notes, and direct acknowledgment of individual strengths. The impact was huge.
Shiv: That makes sense. I guess I’ve been assuming that good work speaks for itself.
Mentor: I used to think the same way. But visibility matters—not just for you as a leader, but for your team too. Why not start by recognizing a few key contributions in your next meeting? I can help you structure it.
Key Mentoring Takeaway: Mentoring provides direct leadership wisdom and proven engagement strategies, helping leaders build a culture of recognition and motivation.
Key Takeaways: When to Choose Coaching vs. Mentoring
Through these real-world scenarios, we see that coaching and mentoring serve different yet complementary purposes in leadership and career growth:
Choose Coaching when you need structured guidance to overcome a challenge, develop self-awareness, and unlock solutions on your own. It’s ideal for short-term, goal-driven development.
Choose Mentoring when you seek long-term career and leadership growth, strategic insights, and wisdom from someone who has walked the path before you. It’s a powerful tool for navigating big-picture challenges.
Start today—seek out a coach or mentor who aligns with your goals, or, if you’re in a leadership role, consider how you can be a coach or mentor to others. The right guidance can transform your career and leadership path! Feel free to reach out to me at hirendoshi@practiceagile.com if I can help.