There is some confusion about what exactly mentoring is and how it differs from coaching. Broadly speaking, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) defines coaching as “developing a person’s skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves”, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives. It targets high performance and improvement at work, although it may also have an impact on an individual’s private life. It usually lasts for a short period and focuses on specific skills and goals.

By contrast, mentoring is the long-term passing on of support, guidance and advice. In the workplace it has tended to describe a relationship in which a more experienced colleague uses their greater knowledge and understanding of the work or workplace to support the development of a more junior or inexperienced member of staff.