The fundamental difference is that consultancy can help you to resolve a job specific problem/situation you do not learn much yourself. Mentoring makes you understand the reasons behind the problem and enables you to take care of any such or similar situations in future. Mentoring is all about holistic learning and empowerment.

How will the mentor know about solving my specific issue or problem?

Mentors usually have many years of business experience and use this knowledge to look at the situation very objectively. They do not offer solutions but can help you analyze the situation and the solutions usually come from the client themselves as they are most knowledgeable about their own business. The mentors will generally guide you to work logically, show you the possible outcomes and use his/her experience to prompt some feasible solutions for you to look at. Mentors may not know about your specific professional work but definitely know the nuances of business.

Can I trust my mentor with my confidential information?

Like discussing with your family doctor you need to share your full information with the mentor as only then can they know about your full picture. In this profession trust is the basic requirement and no personal information is disclosed to anyone else without the consent of the client.

Coaching is all about your behavior in any given situation. I t is about understanding your own position and then carving a way to reach your goals. The role of the coach is to show you the “mirror”. Coaching is about what you were, how you are now, and, what is it that you want to be in future. Consultancy is all about “now” and how someone external can come in and solve your problems. Consultancy can make you dependent on the external help while coaching will give you the ability to resolve the issue and take corrective action so that you can handle not only a specific situation but perhaps any other situation in the future.

Does the coach actually solve my problems?

Just like the tennis or rugby coach the role of the coach is to observe you play and also observe the moves of your opponent. The coach also considers the quality of the playing field, the external environment etc. and then connects this to the strengths and weaknesses of the player. When to slow down, when to push the opponent, when to use your star abilities etc. The coach is there to guide the player in not only playing on his strengths but also enables the player to cover  his/her weak points and be careful of the opponents strengths and weakness. The coach himself does not play the game.

Unlike the Mentors and Coaches, consultants are usually very specific on their skills. While the coach and the Mentor has put is many years of work experience the consultant brings the strength of job skills with them. Even young competent media consultant can offer valuable support in areas of web based requirements/software development etc. because they are aware of the latest developments. Hence  it is better to hire a consultant for a specific assignment only.

Will I become dependent of the consultant for my future needs?