It’s interesting how different people have different perceptions of what a Mentor and a Coach are supposed to be and do.
When some people think of a Coach, they see a ‘Sport Billy’ with a whistle round their neck, yelling at them to ‘drop and give me 20 more’. Other people hear the word Mentor, and they picture an old guy wearing walk socks and sandals telling them ‘well, that’s what it was like back in my day, so you will have to do the same’.
We all have our own preconceived ideas of what we’ve been told. The best thing we can do is suss it out for ourselves.
When looking for someone to guide you, ask yourself powerful questions, e.g. What inspires me? Who can assist me to be open and curious every day? When am I at my best and how can I get more of that? Who can help me ask myself better and deeper questions so I can be the best version of myself in career and life?
Many people swear that having a Mentor is the best thing since sliced bread. Large numbers of people who have a skilled coach declare them, as being the best thing to have entered into their lives.
We all have our own opinions. And that’s all they are. Opinions.
Let me explain the difference as we see it, between a Mentor and a Coach.
A Mentor can be beneficial for developing the person’s career focus. The mentee will learn from the Mentor’s knowledge, skills, experience, and opinions within that industry. It can be a great relationship to form to gain career support, connections, and develop opportunities within the industry. This situation provides the mentee with career focused input and provides guidance for a direction to head in.
In regards to coaching there is a common myth that coaches are only there for remedial support to those with a problem to fix. This is very much incorrect.
A skilled Authentic Leadership Coach works to develop and grow the entire person. Not just teaching processes or methods to follow. Coaching includes developing, growing, enhancing and empowering the individual to BE their best version of themselves every single day. To align the information with action and BE that person. The Coach empowers the person to unleash their confidence, squash the self-doubt, and bolster their skills of resilience. To BE the person who can instigate strategies and have courageous conversations, cultivate momentum and to keep going through the good, the bad and the mediocre times.
Having a skilled Leadership Coach who has taken the hard knocks before and living a life of congruence, is a vital key to your success in life AND career!
You want to have yourself a Coach who has been through tough times, activated their resilience, stood up for justice and proclaimed their capabilities with confidence (not ego or arrogance), led themselves and others with Authenticity and they practice what they preach!
Personally, I’ve (Christine) been in the mentoring and coaching space for over 2 decades. I have worked with Professionals, Scientists, Sports people, and High performing individuals and teams (on the sports field, the dance studio, in the office, lab, and the boardroom).
I call myself a ‘Coach’. I’m here to inspire you to BE your best self every single day, no matter what. And that’s not having to be at 100% every day because NONE of us are! I will ask you questions to expand your mindset, question your thoughts and the stories we tell ourselves, and encourage you to discover so much more about yourself that you do not even know yet.
The quality of your life is not based on the quality of your circumstances, it’s based on the quality of the questions you ask yourself every day! So keep asking questions!
Powerful questions have the ability to give you a completely different perspective not just on your career, but on your entire life!
If you want success in your career, get a Mentor!
If you want success in your life AND career, get a Coach!
If you want success in life and career and BE the best version of yourself every single day… get yourself an Authentic Leadership Coach AND find yourself a Mentor who inspires you in your professional endeavours.