Coaching "is a process that enables learning and development to occur and thus performance to improve" Eric Parsloe.  It's an equal relationship: the coach is the expert on techniques and ways to help people think effectively; the client is the expert on their area of work.  A coach commits a client to action and, by being a sounding-board to their experiences, allows them personal space and support to develop. Leaders who have benefitted from coaching are more emotionally resilient, able to manage further change and support colleagues – often by sharing coaching techniques, thus increasing organisational capacity to self-manage.

Mentoring is "off-line help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking" David Clutterbuck. A mentor requires experience or understanding of the client's area of work to make questions and insights directly relevant. Their role is to transfer the ideas and skills to the client to apply in their context – not by being directional or instructing on "the right way".  The mentor helps their client to maintain motivation and commitment needed to achieve their goals, despite other work pressures and distractions. The process is enhanced by an understanding of coaching techniques and some of the mentoring may be sharing these techniques for clients to use and/or teach others.  A mentor's hindsight is a client's foresight.

Coaching and mentoring are subtly different processes, used effectively on their own or in combination to develop an individual's business performance, achieve their potential or secure their lifestyle goals.