More companies are discovering the benefits of talent management. Coaching and mentoring are two practices that are picking up steam in HR departments. However, people sometimes get them mixed up. Here we tell you what they really are.

Career development involves several factors, including the skills and attitude we have at work. Education isn't the only thing we need to get ahead. While some skills are innate and should be sharpened, others must be learned. In the digital era, companies that want to stand out to workers must develop those skills. So more and more are turning to coaching and mentoring programmes. 

Coaching and mentoring teach employees to adapt to change so they can face fresh challenges. They can be useful at the office and in everyday life, too.

What is coaching?

Coaching means supporting someone in their pursuit of an objective. Ariadna is an analytical whizz who has carved out a career in economics. However, nerves often get the better of her when it comes to public speaking. A coach can give Ariadna the tools she needs to overcome her anxiety. Though she might not become an expert speaker overnight, her coach will help her sort out what’s holding her back.  

Essentially, there’s an issue to resolve and an objective to achieve in the short term.  

The benefits of coaching include:

• greater analytical thinking and self-reflection to set goals and understand how to achieve them;
• self-awareness and autonomy;
• better communication and social skills; and 
• personal well-being, motivation, creativity and better stress management.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring addresses people’s development from a different angle. Unlike coaches, mentors are experienced in the topic at hand. Mentors share what they felt and learned in a similar situation. They are more than just observers or experts; they are motivators, too. 

The purpose of mentoring is not to achieve a certain objective, but rather to advise on how to face the future. For instance, women executives may talk to young women starting their career about women’s leadership. 

The benefits of mentoring include: 

• networking to increase your contacts;  
• learning different ways to address challenges; 
• strengthening your personal brand; and 
• boosting performance and confidence. 

Coaching and mentoring can help you have a better career and social life. Though they don’t work in the same way, they give people tools to learn new skills and overcome everyday challenges.