Senior managers in the South African Public Service have a constitutionally mandated and noble task to enable continuous learning and development of their staff. Mentoring and coaching is one effective intervention to secure and sustain this. To enhance mentoring and coaching knowledge and practice, understanding of the basis of mentoring and coaching is fundamental as well as transformational mentoring and coaching. The fact that mentees and coachees are adult learners need to be taken into consideration. Effective mentoring and coaching require insights into the nature of relationships and diversity as well as how to provide feedback and engage in questioning.