The major difference between executive coaching and business mentoring is that the executive coach leads their clients through a process that results in them gaining the clarity they need to make the right decisions.

Mentoring however is more about sharing the mentors expertise, knowledge and experience so that the client gains the wisdom of someone that has walked down a similar path.

The issue or impartiality therefore is more relevant to the executive coaching professional than it is the business mentor. In fact I will go as far as saying that if you are looking for impartiality, mentoring may not be your preferred option.

There are many factors that influence the clients thinking despite the fact that the executive coach does not give advice or make decisions on behalf of their clients.

The non verbal cues of the executive coaching professional however have a profound effect. Just think of a time when you spoke with someone and just by observing their facial changes you knew how they felt about what you were saying without them having said a word?

Think again for an interaction when the body language of the person you were speaking with changed when certain things were mentioned.

Just how controlled can an executive coach be to ensure that his/her questioning techniques are not biased in nature? This not only applies to content but also to intonations, tone and volume or the questions asked.

Perhaps it is not about being controlled more than it is about the coach being in a place of neutrality.

This will mean that there is no need for the coach that his/her clients take any particular path of action even though it may be one that the coach knows will be detrimental.

This can only occur when the client takes full ownership of his/her decision and does not feel in any way that the executive coaching professional was involved in the decision directly or indirectly.

Client ownership requires the coach to let go of any need to influence, direct or gain feelings of worth through the coaching process.

This means that executive coaching professionals have a responsibility to ensure that they have the ability to suspend any ego assertion when interacting with their clients.

This is a tough ask.

Whether it can be done without the help of a coach is a question worth pondering.