What is the difference between mentors, coaches and consultants?
The following definitions are used for the KASTmba program to separate mentorship, coaching and consulting.
Clients may also engage a coach who will bring in consulting when required and vice versa.
A mentor may become actively involved with the individual (personal or professional) as well as organizational development and advancement. Mentors are empathetic and experienced business people who help business owners achieve their goals. They have experience operating and developing successful businesses and can offer valuable advice and guidance. The role of a mentor is not limited to teaching new skills, offering advice/support or improving a specific performance, but also to act as a guide and role model. They can act as sounding boards during important decision making or new initiatives. They can also introduce individuals to networks and additional resources. Typically free of charge and offered as goodwill by the mentor. Time requirements are roughly 2 to 3 hours per month.
A consultant is usually focused on a process, a task or a project, rather than the individual. For example, a consultant may help a company streamline its customer service operations or optimize sales process. The consultant may actively complete projects with the individual often directed by the consultant’s standards and processes.
Consultants may actively guide and instruct/train the client.
Time limits by case.
A coach focuses more on the individual. For example, a coach may work with an individual to upgrade time management, prioritization of tasks, improve personal skill set in addition to applying assistance to operational concerns. The coach will work with the individual to self identify issues that need addressing. Problem solving these issues are typically accomplished by coaching the individual towards a solution rather than telling the individual the solution using open non biased questions thathelp the business owner explore a concept and achieve a solution.
In this manner a coach can assist a client in creating a strategic plan by drawing out the knowledge and other required elements from the client.
Time limits by case.