What's in a name?
Posted by Rene Petrin on Fri, Jan 07, 2011 @ 02:00 PM
Would a rose, called by any other name, still be a rose?, according to Shakespeare? All poetics aside, it might be a rose but would certainly confuse the heck out of the purpose of language-to communicate one's meaning to another.
This is why using the term "mentoring" when true mentoring is involved and using "coaching" when that is what's being done is so important. As I've written in my previous article Mentoring Vs. Coaching, there are significant differences that dictate which initiative will best meet one's needs in talent development.
In brief, mentoring involves a long term relationship (9-12 months) that focuses on future development and transformation. Coaching involves acquiring specific skill sets or knowledge generally, though not always, focused on one's immediate job.
So what's in a name? The difference between applying the right solution to the right challenge. It does make a difference!