Support Systems: Mentoring, Coaching, and Therapy, What Sets Them Apart

Overview
The article explores three core support systems-mentoring, coaching, and therapy-and explains how each serves distinct purposes for technology professionals. It provides practical insights on when to seek each type of support and how they can complement one another in a technical leadership journey.

Key Takeaways

• Mentoring focuses on long-term career growth and skill transfer.
• Coaching is goal-oriented, helping individuals improve performance in specific areas.
• Therapy addresses mental health and deeper emotional challenges.
• Understanding the differences enables leaders to build balanced support networks for themselves and their teams.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers and tech leads seeking personal development.
• Individual contributors looking for guidance on career progression.
• HR professionals designing support programs for technical staff.
• Anyone in tech interested in holistic personal growth.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• No specific frameworks are presented, but the article frames the three support systems as complementary pillars for personal and professional development.