Coaching, in contrast to training and mentoring, takes on a collaborative form. In coaching, though the relationship between the coach and coachee is formal, there is no hierarchy. The coach is not expected to be an expert in the field the coachee is in. Rather, the coachee is the expert here. The role of a coach is to ask well-structured questions to help the coachee discover the solutions to the issues faced.
The focus of coaching is also goal-specific and immediate. For example, a newly promoted manager may be looking how to unite her team. During the coaching sessions, the coach will utilise a variety of tools to help the coachee gain self-awareness such as what are her strengths and behavioural preferences, and from there, allow the coachee to discover solutions to her issues.