Mentorship, Sponsorship and Coaching are all different! And they all have a different place in our lives. Before we get into why these relationships are important, let’s define them first.
A human who wants to help you grow and develop, and nurtures the relationship with you. They tell us how we’ve done, and help guide us on how to move forward.
A human who helps promote you and shares why you are an asset to the organization. They advocate for you, usually when you are not present.
A human who partners with you on action toward your goals, dreams and topics of focus. You may be seeking career, life, or professional coaching. Coaches range in backgrounds and verticals from life, career, executive, leadership, relationship, etc.
“a trusted counselor, guide, tutor or coach”
“to be or stand sponsor for”
“a private tutor” or “one who instructs or trains”
We all need coaches, sponsors, and mentors at various times throughout our careers. They help us grow, they challenge our decisions, and they want to see us succeed, take on more challenges, and work towards self-discovery, self-development and career advancement.
We could go years with all three and years with none. The beauty of each role is that they are dependent on your needs and wants for your work and life. We as individuals get to choose how we engage with mentoring, coaching and sponsors. These should not be expected relationships. These relationships form out of your desire to grow, develop and strengthen yourself, and when they form, the outcomes for you are extraordinary.
What about you? How do you engage with a mentor, sponsor or coach in your life? Let us know on social media!