Throughout my career in the technology industry, sponsorship has been a secret ingredient behind my own career success. Although mentoring is widely known and practised, sponsorship is still at an early stage of deliberate adoption. Earlier in my career, I remember thinking I wished I could be a fly on the wall during people calibration meetings where talent potential and promotions were discussed. When I became a people manager and later an executive, I knew that behind every job hire or promotion, there are always key decision-makers advocating for you to get the role. This is why sponsorship is a key to accelerating career growth.
What is a sponsor?
A sponsor is an individual who embodies a commitment to help you grow professionally. This individual is more senior to you in the organization; some possible sponsors of yours could be your manager, your skip-level manager, or any business leader you work with who is more senior to you. They know your work and know you as a leader, so they can speak positively of/for you when you’re not in the room. The key distinction is that a sponsor will use their “political capital” to help you open doors to new opportunities, advocate for you, and help you expand your network. To get a sponsor, you must first establish your credibility through hard work. Finally, when combined with strong achievements and sponsorship, your sponsor(s) can help you advance your career and strive for success.
Having one or more sponsors is especially important for women, as women with a sponsor are reported to be 1.5 times more likely to aspire to be top managers. With a sponsor, women are also more likely to ask managers for a stretch project (a project beyond one’s general knowledge, allowing them to both grow and prove their skills).
Key difference between a mentor, coach and sponsor
It is important to highlight the differences between a mentor, a coach, and a sponsor. A mentor is an individual who has the skills you want to learn from; they impart knowledge, experience, and advice. A coach is someone who can help you clarify your career goals, grow potential, and manage internal interference like impostor syndrome. A coach, unlike a mentor or sponsor, is typically external to your organization, although some companies do have internal coaches.
A sponsor is not necessarily a mentor or coach, although they may share characteristics with both. Rather, they are someone who both defend and use their political capital to help you advance. They will help you gain visibility and someone you can promote a win-win partnership of performance and advocacy. A great sponsor will challenge you with a bold vision to enable you to see your greater potential.
To find a sponsor, first consider whether your goals are aligned with those of your manager or the leader you are considering as a sponsor. This will help you achieve both of your goals. When they see you helping them achieve goals for the company, they will be more likely to help you expand your responsibilities and thus grow your career. Now your successes also become victories for the company!
Your career, North Star
In seeking sponsors to help accelerate your career growth, knowing where you want to take your career is equally important, especially for mid-career and executive leaders. A Career North Star helps an individual visualize the big picture of their career, or what their ultimate career goal is. They can then discern the paths they can take to lead them to this goal, the skills they may need to achieve it, and the actions they can take today to get closer to this goal. In my own career journey, once I decided that my Career North Star would one day be a Chief Marketing Officer, every role I took from that point on was very intentional. I deliberated over what role would give me the new skills and abilities that would allow me to eventually rise to the CMO position.
When creating a Career North Star, there are some important questions you should ask yourself. Try starting with:
- What do I value?
- What is most important to me?
- What excites me the most?
- What is the big picture for me?
Then, when looking for possible paths forward, consider:
- What positions will bring me closer to my career North Star?
- What skills or competencies do I still need to develop?
- What strengths do I enjoy using?
Sponsorship, combined with hard work and clarity of your Career North Star, will allow you to unlock career opportunities you may never have dreamed possible. It can enable you to take calculated risks, recruit a support system, and cultivate your personal brand. Within your company, sponsorship can simultaneously promote top talent, help your company strengthen its leadership succession pipeline, and cultivate an inclusive leadership culture.
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