If you ask ten managers in Singapore what coaching is, you will likely get ten very different answers. Some will describe it as giving advice. Others see it as career guidance. A few may even use the words coaching and mentoring interchangeably.
Coaching and mentoring are different concepts. When leaders confuse these roles, they risk overlooking the true impact of coaching: fostering self-awareness, clarity, and growth in their team members.
A Common Mistake: Coaching as Mentoring
Imagine this scenario: A senior manager is coaching a direct report on presentation skills. Instead of asking questions, the manager shares personal tips, recounts experiences with difficult audiences, and offers advice on what to do differently. While the employee benefits from the manager's insights, they do not gain new self-awareness.
That’s mentoring. It is valuable, but it is not coaching. Coaching doesn’t provide answers. It helps the other person generate their own.
The Coaching Continuum
At The Clarity Practice, we use the coaching continuum to explain the difference between support professions:
- Mentoring – Passing on experience. A mentor says, “I’ve been there before, here’s how I did it.”
- Managing – Giving direction and measuring performance.
- Consulting – Providing solutions as the subject matter expert.
- Coaching – Partnering with someone to expand their thinking, evoke new awareness, and help them create their own path forward.
In short, mentoring draws from the mentor’s story. Coaching draws out the client’s.
Why Managers Slip Into Mentoring Mode
Leaders in Singapore and across Asia often confuse the two for three reasons:
- Habit of problem-solving. Leaders are rewarded for fixing issues quickly. Coaching asks them to pause and let others think for themselves.
- Ego and expertise. Sharing wisdom feels natural, especially when you’ve “been there.” Actual coaching requires humility to let go of being the expert.
- Lack of training. Many managers are never trained in coaching skills. They default to what they know best, mentoring or managing.
A Relatable Case Example
One executive we worked with was convinced he was “coaching” his team. In reality, his one-to-ones were lectures on how he used to do things. After going through the Three-Pillar Clarity Method™, he shifted from telling to asking.
Instead of, “Here’s what I think you should do,” he began asking:
- “What options have you considered?”
- “What feels most aligned with your strengths?”
- “What might you try differently next time?”
Within three months, his team reported greater ownership and confidence. The executive realised that while mentoring created dependency, coaching built capability.
The Clarity Method™: A Practical Lens
Our approach integrates three elements:
- Mindfulness – creating space for presence and deep listening.
- Strategic Clarity – structuring conversations to connect choices with bigger goals.
- Visual Methodology – using tools like the Vision Canvas or Clarity Questionnaire to help people literally see their thinking.
This combination makes coaching practical, repeatable, and powerful for leaders who want to avoid slipping into mentoring mode. Learn more about our coaching methodology.
How to Spot the Difference in the Moment
Next time you’re with your team, try this quick test:
- If you are talking more than listening, you are mentoring or managing.
- If you are asking more than telling, you are coaching.
- If your employee leaves with your answer, that’s mentoring.
- If they leave with their own insight, that’s coaching.
Why It Matters for Today’s Leaders
In a fast-changing, AI-driven workplace, leaders can no longer rely solely on their past experience. The challenges their teams face today are different. Coaching equips managers to develop thinkers, not just doers. Mentoring transfers knowledge. Coaching transforms people.
If you or your team are looking to unlock potential rather than spoon-feeding, then executive coaching in Singapore could be the tool that drives change and results.
If you are curious to find out about your clarity, take this free clarity assessment. It only takes 2-minutes!
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