What is the difference between a coach, consultant, tutor, trainer, teacher, mentor, and adviser?
Often, we hear the terms coach, consultant, tutor, trainer, teacher, mentor, and advisor and use all of them interchangeably.
However, whilst they are very similar in meaning, there is a slight difference between each of them.
You just need to understand the individual roles, in order to understand the differences between each term.
1. Coach
Coaches can appear in different roles. For example, sports, life, business or relationship coach. Every coach type shares the same criteria.
The focus of coaching is to help someone achieve a specific performance.
For example, an organizational coach will work to bring improvement in the performance of a specific area.
A coach’s role is:
To help bring a greater performance in a specific area, such as increasing sales or improving a specific technique in order to achieve a specific outcome.
When they are coaching a team, it could also be to bring about better teamwork as and where possible.
As a result, the scope of a coach is usually related to the task.
2. Consultant
A consultant can take the form similar to a coach or mentor.
The most important difference which can separate the consultant from mentors and coaches is that they are commonly paid for a particular task at hand.
The major focus of the consultant is not on the improvement of a specific performance of an individual, but a consultant completes an entire process or concept of a particular task.
The relationship between a client and a consultant can be based on the area of expertise, word of mouth, or cost, etc.
On the other hand, a consultant must have the skills to attract his client due to the perceived value which she or he presents and is based on the previous record of successful accomplishments.
The value or expertise of a consultant will be defined by the person or the business which is going to avail their services.
3. Tutor
A tutor can refer to a private instructor who can give private lessons to an individual or a small group.
A tutor’s role is similar to that of the teacher.
However, the difference is that a tutor helps an individual or smaller group of people to understand a particular concept.
This may be done on a more personal level, as compared to a teacher who teaches a large class in a more structured manner.
A tutor can help someone to learn extra knowledge about something which was taught previously in a larger class.
4. Trainer
A trainer is very close to tutor, as it is a person who can train you to perform specific tasks.
A trainer may train athletes, show animals or racehorses, for example.
Therefore, the term trainer doesn’t always apply to training people. It can apply to training animals, also.
A trainer may also train and develop staff within a business, to help them understand how to perform the specific tasks perfectly.
5. Teacher
A teacher is a person who can facilitate and educate their students in a class setting.
Typically, a teacher teaches within a classroom, in front of a larger group of people.
They help you to understand different concepts or give you knowledge about a particular subject.
A teacher has vast knowledge about his or her field.
It is their job requirement to provide you with detailed information and teach you in a way which is easier to understand.
6. Mentor
Mentors are slightly different from the coaches. They may be paid or voluntary.
The focus of the mentor is commonly on an individual rather than a complete task, unlike coaches.
A mentor plays a more general role for the individual, and commonly there can be a less specified agenda in this case.
Most of the mentor relationships can be self-selected.
Your relationship with your mentor can develop due to mutual work styles, histories or interests.
A mentor can cover many functions such as knowledge, technical function, networking, and preparation.
7. Adviser
An adviser can be described as a sharp-shooter, who advises or counsels.
It can be a person with specific skills and experience who has the ability to serve you in a specific way.
The services of an advisor will be paid most commonly, but the relationship of a client and an adviser can be more casual than of the other types previously mentioned.
An adviser can show you a better way and tell you what is best for you to do.
Their role is related to a specific task or to get a particular outcome.
Hopefully, these definitions will help you to understand the differences between each role with more clarity than you had previously.
