Difference Between Mentoring and Advising (July 2008)

Many people feel that there is no difference between the role of a mentor and that of an advisor. It depends on the environment in which the term is used. In the military environment there may be just a difference in semantics, while in business, industry and education there is a great difference.

Advisors are usually those individuals that direct a path for the subordinate to follow. Their primary efforts are to tell the subordinate what and how to accomplish the task based on previously determined standards of performance,

Mentors, focus on why and are those individuals who not only have the ability to advise, but also to be a teacher, a supporter, a tutor, a sponsor, a coach and a trainer.

It has been said that “many can advise, but few can mentor!” Why is that? One answer is that it is because an advisor is one who directs. A mentor, on the other hand, guides. An advisor will direct without regard to the specific situation or needs. A mentor will allow – even encourage – choosing the course of action to achieve organizational or personal goals. A true mentor knows what motivates; an advisor is more like a director and may or may not know what motivates because the advisor simply provides the direction that one “should” follow.

Although, as members of the MPRI community, we have our common roots in the military, and by our nature have a good understanding of the realities, demands and requirements of our customers and client. But, our business is developing long-term stability and success for our clients and customers. This places us in a different environment, one that is business-related and military-oriented. Quite a balancing act for almost anyone to achieve!

Another key difference between an advisor and a mentor is the emphasis on short-term or long-term progress. Usually an advisor seeks a quick, rapid, efficient solution to a problem and ends up giving the advice that will achieve that solution. A mentor helps to identify solutions that may take more time to resolve, but have a more effective impact on the client and customer since it is based on the client’s situation, culture, resources, needs and capabilities to achieve.

MENTORS ARE LEGACY BUILDERS.

For more than 15 years, MPRI has stood out among our peers in the defense consulting business with the unique approach to bring quick results tied with long-lasting benefits for our clients and customers. It is the legacy of mentoring that has accomplished this. Mentoring is not a one-way communication, as most advising is. It is an exchange of information between YOU, the MPRI professional, and the client that brings out the best in both parties culminating in long term success for both MPRI and the client.