What Is the Difference between Mentoring, Coaching, and Training – And Why Our PWN Mentoring Programme Is a Game-Changer

My intention in writing this blog is two-fold. First, my desire is to champion the PWN French Riviera Mentoring Programme. The programme for 2026 kicks off on November 13, 2025. Second, I hope to help clear up any confusion you may have about the difference between mentoring, coaching, and training.

I admit that I have been an enthusiastic advocate for the PWN French Riviera Mentoring Programme for over a decade as a mentor. Currently I am the VP of Mentoring at PWN French Riviera along with my co-VP, Carine O’Flaherty. Over the years I have personally experienced and also witnessed the profoundly positive impact this programme has on both mentors and mentees.

I am a certified communication coach and workshop leader with 30 years of experience in Canada, the U.S.A. and France. As such, a question I have been asked repeatedly over the years on both sides of the ocean is — what is the difference between mentoring, coaching, and training? That is a particularly relevant question for anyone who is considering joining the PWN Mentoring Programme. In a nutshell, while they all have the same goal — to help you grow — each one plays a distinct role in your professional journey.

The beautiful truth? They are all threads in the same vibrant tapestry of personal and professional development, entirely dedicated to help you unlock your potential, acquire new competences, and navigate your career trajectory with increased clarity and self-confidence. Let’s look at each one more closely.

PWN Mentoring Programme: The Guiding Star

The PWN French Riviera Mentoring Programme is one of the pillars of the French Riviera Professional Women’s Network. Think of it as a wholistic partnership, where an experienced professional serves as a guiding star for your trajectory. Our mentors draw on their own expansive careers in corporations or as entrepreneurs, their successes, and their proven strategies for overcoming difficulties, in order to offer invaluable wisdom and a broader perspective to their mentees. This is not about a quick fix. It is a committed and collaborative relationship built on mutual trust and shared experiences. It assists you in navigating your career path and expanding both personally and professionally. Made available exclusively to our Premium and Corporate Members, this complimentary programme allows you to select the ideal mentor to guide you, no matter what stage you are at in your career.

Coaching: Enabling You to Find Your Own Path

While mentoring provides guidance, coaching is more focused and assists you in finding your own innovative solutions. As a communication coach, I know the power of asking questions you would never think of asking yourself. Some of our PWN mentors are certified coaches as well. They act as catalysts, helping you clarify your thinking, overcome specific challenges, and unlock the capabilities just waiting to be unleashed. This approach helps you answer your own questions in new ways, turbocharging your motivation in order to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

Training: Building the Skills to Succeed

Training is the most structured of the three, designed to impart specific functional knowledge and know-how. While the PWN Mentoring Programme is more about building relationships than acquiring specific skills, some of our mentors come from a training background as well. Therefore, they can suggest resources for developing whatever skill set you require. It is the ideal complement, building on the broader guidance of mentoring with targeted, actionable steps you can take to move you forward.

The Power of the Blend: Your PWN Mentoring Programme Advantage

The magic of the PWN French Riviera Mentoring Programme is that it goes beyond a single approach, offering a customized blend of all three. When you join, you choose someone who acts as your guide (mentor), helps you find your own answers (coach), and points you to the resources you need (trainer). This synergistic combination is designed to reinforce your autonomy and self-confidence, making you even more capable of taking impactful and focused action toward desired outcomes.

Clearly, this is more than just a programme; it is a game-changer! It is an invaluable opportunity to invest in yourself and join a community that truly believes in lifting each other up.

Ready to find your guiding star and take your professional life to the next level? Ready to be a mentor so that you can harness all your past knowledge and experience in the service of someone who can best benefit from it? If so, I welcome you to take the leap and join our community.

Sign up for the PWN Mentoring Programme as a mentee or as a mentor.

Want to talk to someone? Contact Sherwood or Carine PWN Mentoring email

Want to join the PWN French Riviera? Contact Corinne PWN Membership’s email