Sponsors:Advocates for Your Advancement

In This Session

• The difference between mentors and sponsors

• Making the most of mentoring

• Attracting the attention of influential sponsors

• Creating a culture of sponsorship

“There is a special kind of relationship —

called sponsorship — in which the mentor

goes beyond giving feedback and advice and

uses his or her influence with senior

executives to advocate for the mentee.

Our interviews and surveys alike suggest that

high-potential women are overmentored and

undersponsored relative to their male peers

— and that they are not advancing in their

organisations.”

“Why Men Still Get More Promotions Than Women,” by Herminia

Ibarra, Nancy M. Carter and Christine Silva.

EARLY CAREEREnlist mentors

MID-LEVELDiversify mentors, attract sponsors, cultivate peer advocates

SENIOR-LEVELBe a mentor & sponsorBonus: Build a culture of sponsorship

Making the Most of Mentoring

4 S’s of Mentoring Successes

Stories

SituationsSelf-

awareness

Skill-building

“A sponsor is a person with a seat at the decision-making

table who will throw your name out for coveted assignments and promotion opportunities.”

— Amanda Martinez, Vice President,

Supply Chain Purchasing and Vendor

Management, Safeway.

“A sponsor is someone who will use their internal political

and social capital to move your career forward within an organisation. Behind

closed doors, they will argue your case.”

— Cindy Kent, GM, 3M.

Four U.S.-based and global studies clearly show that

sponsorship — not mentorship — is

how power is transferred in the

workplace.

“Why You Need A Sponsor — Not A Mentor —

To Fast-Track Your Career,” Business Insider.

Only _____ % of women

employed in large companies have a sponsor.

13

“The Sponsor Effect,” Hewlett, Peraino, Sherbin and Sumberg, 2011.

Have you had a sponsor?

Women who have

sponsors are at

least 22% more

likely to ask for

stretch assignments and

raises.

Men and women Men and women

feel more

satisfied with

their career advancement

when they have

sponsors.

Ambitious

women

underestimatethe difference

sponsorship

can make.

“The Sponsor Effect,” Hewlett, Peraino, Sherbin and Sumberg, 2011.

What a sponsor does What a protégé does

1. Believes in you, understands and values that you can be a leader, and is willing to take a bet on you.

2. Is prepared to go out on a limb for you and publicly support you.

3. Is in your corner and gives you “air cover”.

1. Exceeds expectations, and make their performance known.

2. Demonstrates that they are trustworthy and loyal.

3. Brings something special and unique to the table.

—Sylvia Ann Hewlett.

“Sponsors advocate on their protégés’ behalf, connecting them to important

players and assignments. In doing so, they make themselves look good. And

precisely because sponsors go out on a limb, they expect stellar performance

and loyalty.”

- Sylvia Ann Hewlett, “Mentors are Good. Sponsors are Better,” New York Times.

“… having an active advocate completely changes your career.”

—Kerrie Peraino,

Vice President for Human

Resources and Chief Diversity

Officer, American Express.

Qualities of a Good Sponsor

• Influential

• Respected

• Has a track record of:

a) Developing talent

b) Providing exposure opportunities to

protégés

c) Providing ‘air cover’ from negative or

damaging publicity

d) Providing a ‘safety net’ during layoffs,

reorgs and leadership changes

“A sponsor does not have to be an executive, but they do

need to have influence.”

—Millette Granville, Director, Diversity

and Inclusion, Delhaize Group.

“Are all your sponsors in the management chain directly above you? I recommend that everyone have three to four sponsors outside of their direct

management chain.”

—Michelle Johnston Holthaus, GM, Channel

Platforms and Strategy Division, Intel.

“So, how do I get a sponsor?”

There is no “silver bullet” for attracting the

attention of a high-level sponsor.

—“Sponsoring Women to Success,” Catalyst, 2011.

Attracting the attention of an

influential sponsor

8. Perform!

7. Know who the good

sponsors are.

6. Observe the protocols: How

does sponsorship work in your

organisation’s culture?

5. Network beyond your direct

management chain.

4. Volunteer for exposure

opportunities to work with or for

potential sponsors.

3. Make your value visible.

2. Have clear

career goals.

1. Share your goals

with your leaders.

8. Perform!

7. Know who the good sponsors are.

6. Observe the protocols: How does sponsorship

work in your organisation’s culture?

5. Network beyond your direct management

chain.

4. Volunteer for exposure opportunities to work

with or for potential sponsors.

3. Make your value visible.

2. Have clear career goals.

1. Share your career goals with your leaders.

Securing Sponsorship

“Sponsorship can come to you in different ways.

You never know who is watching you, so be “sponsor-ready” at all times.

—Millette Granville, Director, Diversity and Inclusion,

Delhaize Group.

Create a Culture of Sponsorship

Be a Good Sponsor

• It’s NOT about favoritism!

• Recognise your own biases. Be equitable and

diverse in who you choose to sponsor.

• Get involved in your company’s “high potential”

program, diversity initiatives, & talent initiatives.

• Be open about what it takes for you to sponsor

someone.

• Talk with other leaders: “Who are our high

potentials?”

• Give your protégés opportunities to prove their

talent to you and other leaders.

“There’s such great evidence that creating a culture of sponsorship can

help high potentials advance their own careers and pay it forward. They

position themselves as leaders who have the organisation’s best interests

in mind.”

—Melissa J. Anderson, “Building a Culture of

Sponsorship.”

Creating a Sponsorship Culture

• Bring sponsorship out from behind closed

doors.

• Have open, transparent conversations about

what sponsorship is, how it works, and what’s

expected of sponsors and protégés.

• People who have benefitted from sponsorship

are more likely to sponsor others!

• Consider creating a formal sponsorship

program for high-potential employees.

• Have conversations about diversity, and train

sponsors to be diversity champions.

In This Session

• The difference between mentors and sponsors

• Making the most of mentoring

• Attracting the attention of influential sponsors

• Creating a culture of sponsorship

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