We have all had that “I could really use some help to tackle this” moment.  It is like using the Phone a Friend option on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”.  Today Executives in large organizations and Founders in startups commonly look for outside help so solve business problems or develop new skills and capabilities.  They need fresh perspectives, objectivity, and specific skill sets that their current organization cannot provide internally.  And there is no shortage of mentors, coaches, advisors, and consultants to choose from.  But what is the difference between these roles and how do people choose the right ones?

Each of these roles has a specific value proposition, but also limitations.

Mentorship goes back to the Greeks.  Mentor was a character in Greek Mythology.  In fact, it was common for young men to have older men serve as teachers, guardians, and role models. Today Mentorship feels very similar.  Great Mentoring relationships usually happen organically, although many firms now have programs to match employees in Mentoring relationships.  In general, Mentorship happens over extended periods of time and is driven by altruism. Mentors typically develop close relationships with Mentees which helps them tailor their advice to the mentee.  Mentoring works best at a broad aperture and may not be well suited to intensive problem-solving work requiring an intervention.  Additionally, Mentors may not have the skills to distinguish between their own success and the specific situation of the Mentee.  Finally, Mentees may place too much weight in a Mentor’s advice instead of developing their own solutions that may be better for them.

Advisors typically have specific domain knowledge that can be drawn upon to make recommendations and solve problems.  Their added value is their experience and their recommendations.  Advisors may have long-term relationships with their clients, but they are typically limited in the number of hours they can provide.

Executive Coaches have become increasingly popular in the business context.  The roots of Executive Coaching trace back to 15th Century opera.  Executive Coaching expanded across disciplines and today is probably most associated with sports.  In essence, Executive Coaching is a relationship designed to improve performance.  Great Executive Coaches bring expertise in defining issues and facilitating solutions.  They put the individual at the center and gear intensive problem solving around the Coachee’s context.  Importantly, most Executive Coaches believe that the best outcomes happen when the client solves the problem themselves.   Executive Coaches “own the process…individuals own the solution” is the standard approach.  Coachees may miss the tangible input that a Mentor or Advisor may bring.  Additionally, Executive Coaches may not have transferable experience, leaving them unable to bring new perspectives.

This creates the need for a new kind of capability: Strategic Thought Partnership.

Strategic Thought Partnership combines the best aspects of mentoring, advising, and Executive Coaching into one integrated approach.  Strategic Thought Partners provide relevant industry knowledge and formal training in the Executive Coaching process.  They put the individual at the center of the process and bring objectivity and accountability like a coach would.  But they also earn permission to bring relevant new ideas into consideration based on their own experiences.  This gives individuals a broader set of options to consider and ultimately choose from.

Strategic Thought Partnership can also be applied to a broader set of business problems, ranging from discrete business or organizational problems to development and skill building topics.

Strategic Thought Partnership: combining the benefits of domain Mentoring, Advising and Executive Coaching in one bundle.

Reference: MENTORING AND COACHING: THE ROLES AND PRACTICES , Dr. Norhasni Zainal Abiddin