‘Coaching & Mentoring are gaining popularity’, for various reasons. At the same time, both terms are used without understanding the deeper meaning. While Mentoring is primarily out of past experience, coaching is not dependent on same. A mentor usually from within the system, whereas a coach need not be (should not be, ideally). As such coaching comes from a “curious, not-knowing state”, exhibiting active listening, which fills up the coach with humility and empathy. A mentor, by virtue of being subject-matter expert naturally carries the halo of knowledge, skill and awareness. A mentor may ‘push’ a mentee out of comfort zone. But a coach will inspire the coachee to voluntarily step out, need be. Many of our leaders believe they are mentors/coaches, but they are neither. And, that is detrimental to the organizations, institutions.
The best space would be to be a Mentor Coach, where even an expert takes his mentor-hat off and handle the ‘client’ from a coaching space. That will be very empowering for the coachee.
A coach cannot (& need not) pick up the subject matter expertise. But it may benefit if a mentor picks up the science of coaching, if not art thereof too.
Perhaps the millennial will be comfortable with such a relationship. Hence they prefer not to stick to one Mentor, but multiple Mentors/Coaches, based on the areas they want to focus.
That is Level5+ leadership. Success guaranteed for organizations, joy for employees, across levels.
https://hbr.org/2015/01/being-experienced-doesnt-automatically-make-you-a-great-mentor