What It Means To Be a Successful Sponsor
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
— Booker T. Washington
Being a Sponsor
Last week we talked about the difference between role models, mentors, and sponsors. We looked at the perspective of Amaya, the protégé. Today, I want to talk more about sponsorship and what it looks like to be the person doing the sponsoring in the workplace.
How do we define sponsorship? This is from a recent Catalyst report: “Sponsorship is focused on advancement and predicated on power. It involves active support by someone appropriately placed in the organization who has significant influence on decision-making processes or structures and who is advocating for, protecting, and fighting for the career advancement of an individual.”
That’s what a sponsor is. Someone who is willing to advocate, promote, defend, and ensure that biases are interrupted from the beginning. I love this quote about sponsors from that same Catalyst report:
“I would say I’ve received a fraction of the opportunities I would have as a white man. The ones that I did receive, I had to fight really hard for. I’ve seen many white men groomed for leadership. They were hand-held through the process by senior leaders. That didn’t mean that they didn’t have to perform, but it did mean that the door was open wide for them and they were given all the resources they needed to be successful. That didn’t happen for me. I had to literally kick the doors open.” - Senior Executive
Many people have had to kick doors open in order to get a seat at the table. The goal is to give equal access and opportunities so that doesn't have to happen. That’s where a sponsor comes in.
So if you want to be one, how do you do it? Here are my five basic requirements every sponsor needs to meet.
1. A sponsor has clout and power and the ability to champion someone else.
2. A sponsor believes in their protégé’s ability to achieve success.
3. A sponsor will ensure their protégé gets the high-risk/high-reward opportunities.
4. A sponsor realizes that this is beneficial for both parties.
5. A sponsor is willing to learn what they don’t know and listen to what might make them uncomfortable.
Why does all of this matter? Because we tell people from underrepresented groups that they must do this and this and this and this, to constantly try to fit into shoes that someone else created 100 years ago. It’s not enough to tell us to walk in someone else’s shoes. We need an advocate. We need someone at our back. We need fighters too. That’s the work of a sponsor. And your legacy as a sponsor? The leaders you build and the workplace you transform.
Do the work
This week, I commit to reflecting on the benefits of the sponsor-protégé relationship, whether I am in a place to start seeking a sponsor, or if I have achieved success and am in a leadership role, whether I am ready to begin championing others' success.
Spread the word
If you want to keep going
What Sponsors and Proteges Need For Successful Relationships
Are you ready to deep dive into allyship at work? Then let's talk sponsorship. Sponsors, far more than mentors, play crucial roles in giving high profile work, promotions, and a seat at the decision table. But how do you get a sponsor? What tasks should sponsors complete? How can they help top performers stay and succeed? How can junior colleagues ensure continued interest and investment in their careers? I will share how to find a sponsor, how to be a sponsor, and how we can continue building our inclusive organization.
