What’s the Difference Between Coaching, Mentoring, and Training for Managers?
About the Author
Ashley Fina is the Co-CEO of Oxygen and former CEO of Michael C. Fina Recognition. She helps founders, executives, and high-growth companies build stronger teams through practical, people-first management training. Ashley has coached and advised more than 35 companies across industries and serves on multiple boards focused on business leadership and human capital development. Follow her on LinkedIn @ AshleyFina.
Overview
Most new managers are promoted because they excel as individual contributors. But few receive the structured support they need to thrive as leaders. In this post, Oxygen Co-CEO Ashley Fina breaks down the difference between coaching, mentoring, and training for managers, and explains why the most effective development programs combine all three.
Featuring insights from Oxygen coaches Karen Gombault and Heather Yurovsky, instructor Michael Knouse, and client Andrew Cohen of WorkBetterNow, this article outlines a better path for companies that want to develop confident, capable managers.
Key Takeaways
Coaching, mentoring, and training each play a distinct role in developing managers
Most companies skip structured training, expecting performance without providing tools
Coaching helps reinforce behavior change and decision, increasing confidence
Mentoring offers support and perspective, but is often inconsistent
When combined, all three create lasting impact on team performance, retention, and culture
What’s the Difference Between Coaching, Mentoring, and Training for Managers?
Why I Believe Training Comes First
When I was CEO of a fast-growing business, I saw a familiar pattern: high performers were promoted into management roles, but many struggled to succeed. They weren’t failing because they lacked talent. They were failing because we never taught them how to manage.
I could offer mentorship and guidance, but I quickly realized that wasn’t enough. These rising managers needed a structured foundation. They needed tools, frameworks, and practice. That is why training is the first and most essential step.
Through Oxygen, we help companies build that foundation. Our Management Essentials program gives new and emerging managers the clarity and skills they need—and then reinforces those lessons with coaching and peer support.
Coaching vs. Mentoring: Two Different Tools
People often use "coaching" and "mentoring" interchangeably, but they serve different purposes.
Karen Gombault, one of Oxygen's lead coaches and facilitators, puts it simply:
"Mentoring is offering perspective. Coaching is about building capability. At Oxygen, we do both. That’s what makes it work."
Mentoring can be powerful, especially when a leader shares wisdom from experience. But it’s often unstructured and reliant on availability. Coaching, on the other hand, is structured, forward-looking, and goal-oriented. It helps managers reflect, gain awareness, and shift behaviors.
Heather Yurovsky, who has coached over 1,000 leaders, says Oxygen clients come in highly motivated and leave with measurable growth.
"You can tell they're committed. Between sessions, they apply what we've discussed. The progress is real."
Manager Coaching in Practice
Heather described one client who came in overwhelmed and close to burnout. Over the course of five months, she developed the structure she needed to manage herself and her team more effectively. Another client, she said, began solving their own challenges with less hesitation and greater clarity after a few sessions.
This kind of transformation is common when coaching is paired with structured training. Coaching alone can feel abstract. But when managers already have the tools and language from a program like Oxygen's, coaching helps them internalize and apply it.
The Power of Live Training: A Facilitator’s View
Michael Knouse, an Oxygen instructor, brings deep experience guiding managers through live, cohort-based training. He sees the value in combining content with community.
"The power of the program is in the format. It’s live, it’s interactive, and it’s grounded in everyday challenges. Managers practice in real time. They learn how to lead team meetings, delegate effectively, manage upward, and hold others accountable."
This isn’t lecture-based learning. It’s designed to drive real behavior change.
A CEO’s Perspective: Building a Leadership Bench
Andrew Cohen, CEO of WorkBetterNow, shared what led him to Oxygen.
"We were growing fast. The people who stood out got promoted. But I realized we were setting them up to fail if we didn’t give them the right tools."
Andrew was already mentoring his team, but he recognized the need for a consistent, scalable system. He brought in Oxygen to provide that structure.
"It’s not just a lecture. They’re getting coaching, learning how to have hard conversations, and practicing with peers. That’s what makes the difference."
Through multiple cohorts, WorkBetterNow built a stronger leadership bench. The results included improved retention, better communication, and more confident managers.
Why Combining Training, Coaching, and Mentoring Works
At Oxygen, we don’t treat coaching, mentoring, and training as interchangeable. Each plays a role:
Training provides the foundation and shared language
Coaching helps apply and deepen those skills
Mentoring offers insight and encouragement from experience
Used together, they accelerate performance, improve culture, and prepare your managers for what comes next.
Layering Training, Coaching and Mentoring for Success
If you’ve promoted someone into management and haven’t given them the tools to succeed, you’re not alone. Most companies face this challenge.
But it’s a solvable one. And the return is real: faster ramp-up, stronger teams, and better business results.
If you want to invest in your managers, start with training. Then layer in coaching and mentoring to help them turn knowledge into lasting capability.
Explore Oxygen’s Management Essentials program or schedule a conversation to learn more.