Practice English vocabulary for coaching and mentoring: goal-oriented vs. relationship-based approaches, powerful questions, sharing experience, and promotion coaching.
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A tech lead is working with an engineer for 6 weeks specifically to help them prepare for a performance review. This engagement has a clear end date and outcome. Which term best describes this?
'Coaching' is goal-oriented and time-bound — it has a specific objective (here: preparing for a review) and a defined end. This contrasts with mentoring, which is typically a longer, ongoing relationship.
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A senior engineer has been meeting monthly with a junior colleague for over a year, sharing career lessons and helping them navigate the company. Which term best describes this?
'Mentoring' is relationship-based and longer-term. A mentor shares their experience, provides guidance over time, and helps the mentee develop broadly rather than targeting a single goal.
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During a session, instead of giving advice, the coach asks 'What options haven't you considered yet?' to help the engineer think independently. What is this called?
'Asking powerful questions' is a core coaching technique. Powerful questions are open-ended and provoke reflection, helping the coachee discover their own answers rather than depending on the coach.
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A mentor tells a junior engineer about a time they navigated a difficult reorg and what they learned. Which phrase describes this?
'The mentor shares their experience' — unlike a coach, a mentor actively provides guidance from their own lived experience, offering perspective that the mentee cannot yet have.
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A staff engineer is supporting a senior engineer through the process of building the case for a promotion to principal. Which phrase is correct?
'I'm coaching this engineer through the promotion process' is the standard phrase. Coaching is appropriate here because it is goal-oriented (promotion), time-bound (the review cycle), and focused on a specific outcome.