Coaching Supervision vs Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching supervision, coaching and mentoring are often confused, but they do different jobs. The simplest distinction: coaching and mentoring support a person in their role, while coaching supervision supports the coach in their practice.

Coaching vs mentoring

A coach helps a client think for themselves, mostly through questions, without needing to be an expert in the client's field. A mentor draws on their own experience to offer guidance and advice. Both work directly with the person being developed.

Where coaching supervision is different

Coaching supervision steps up a level. The 'client' is the coach, and the focus is the coach's own work — their effectiveness, ethics and wellbeing. It's reflective rather than directive, and it exists specifically to keep coaching practice high-quality and safe. A coach can have a mentor and a supervisor for different purposes.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between coaching supervision and mentoring?

Mentoring offers experience-based advice to someone in their role. Coaching supervision is reflective support for a coach's own practice — its ethics, quality and effectiveness.

Is coaching supervision just coaching for coaches?

Not quite. It overlaps with coaching's reflective style, but its specific purpose is to develop and safeguard the coach's professional practice.