Helping someone grow isn’t always about having the answers. Sometimes, it’s about asking the right questions. Sometimes, it’s about sharing a story they haven’t lived through yet. Great leaders blend coaching and mentoring depending on what the moment calls for.
Coaching is about guiding someone to find their own clarity. You don’t need to be an expert in their domain - you just need curiosity, presence, and the right tools.
Mentoring is about drawing from your own experience to offer perspective, advice, or hard-earned lessons - especially when someone is facing a challenge you’ve seen before.
In real life, these modes often blur. You might start by coaching someone through a problem and end up mentoring when they get stuck. What matters isn’t which label you use - it’s whether you’re helping the person in front of you move forward.
Recommended Resources
The GROW Model: This highly effective coaching model guides people towards a desired goal (G) based on their current reality (R). As a coach you will collaborate with them on brainstorming options (O) and finally encouraging them to assume responsibility for what they will do (W). Use it in 1:1 contexts for simple, repeatable wins. (5 min read)
Manager Tools Coaching Model (Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3): Manager Tools shares a three-part deep dive on coaching in general and their teachable model as part of their “management trinity”. I always appreciate the level of detail Manager Tools brings to the table, offering step-by-step guidance on getting started with your team. (1h30m listen)
A Manager’s Guide to Holding Your Team Accountable: Dave Bailey explores the discomfort managers often feel when enforcing accountability and offers practical strategies to address it. He emphasizes the importance of clarifying commitments, asking probing questions, and delivering constructive feedback to enhance team performance. (7 min read)
Improving Morale Using Paloma Medina’s BICEPS Framework and a Colorful Spreadsheet: Matt Billings shares his experience applying Paloma Medina’s BICEPS framework - Belonging, Improvement, Choice, Equality, Predictability, Significance - to assess and boost team morale. He provides a practical spreadsheet for individuals and managers to identify and address areas impacting motivation. (3 min read)
Coaching Skills for Managers I: The Coaching Steering Wheel: Philipp Hauer introduces the "Coaching Steering Wheel," a model designed to guide managers through effective coaching conversations. He outlines a four-step process: Problem Analysis, Goal Definition, Brainstorming Options, and Defining Actions, with practical questions and tools for each phase. Highly similar to the GROW model, but more detailed and focused on offering active support. (8 min read)
The 4 Keys to Creating Team Accountability: Claire Lew outlines four critical practices for fostering genuine team accountability: setting clear expectations, leading with curiosity instead of fear, providing context over imposing deadlines, and promoting self-sufficiency to reduce dependency on leadership. Her recommended questions for self-reflection are pure gold. (5 min read)