TLDR: Mentor vs. Sponsor vs. Therapist vs. Coach
Three of these you can choose. The fourth chooses you, and only after you have delivered something they can point to.
| Mentor | Sponsor | Therapist | Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you get them | You trade with them | You trade with them | You hire them | You hire them |
| What it is | Commits their experience and their time. Works on the route they already walked. | Leverages their reputation for you. Works in rooms you are not in. | Requires clinical training and a license. Works on why the pattern formed. | Involves structured inquiry and method. Works on what you do next. |
| What you pay | Nothing | Nothing | Copay, coinsurance, or full fee | Full fee, no insurance |
| What it draws on from them | Their time and experience | Their reputation | Clinical training and a license | Method, structure, attention |
| What it requires of you | Preparation and reciprocity | Delivered results | Consistent attendance | Work between sessions |
Mentor
You trade with them
Commits their experience and their time. Works on the route they already walked.
Nothing
Their time and experience
Preparation and reciprocity
Sponsor
You trade with them
Leverages their reputation for you. Works in rooms you are not in.
Nothing
Their reputation
Delivered results
Therapist
You hire them
Requires clinical training and a license. Works on why the pattern formed.
Copay, coinsurance, or full fee
Clinical training and a license
Consistent attendance
Coach
You hire them
Involves structured inquiry and method. Works on what you do next.
Full fee, no insurance
Method, structure, attention
Work between sessions
This guide separates the four roles, what each costs, how to choose one, and how to leave. It ends with the cases where you need none of them.
DisclaimerI am an executive coach. I am publishing a guide on how to hire one, so you should read section five and section six with that in mind. I have written both so that a careful reader could apply them and decide against hiring me, which will be the right outcome for most people who read this.
Written for mid-career professionals.
Free to share.
Simone Harvey, PCC. Founder and Principal, Sāntis Group.
Tell us what you're navigating.
Every engagement starts with a chemistry conversation. Book a time below.