Now that we’ve gotten an introduction to coaching and how it’s different from mentorship, it’s time to layer in another technique to develop your team, Sponsorship. That’s because, when it comes to making significant changes for any individual on a team, like promotions or improving representation on teams, the research has proven over and over that providing sponsorship makes a difference in a measurable way.
I’ll talk through what Sponsorship is, why it’s powerful, who to sponsor, and most importantly, what to do. By the end, you’ll have at least then ideas for what to do: five today and five that you can plan for the future.
Personal reflection
After you watch the talk, take a few minutes to think about the following:
-
In the last month, what’s one place where I mentored someone, where I could have sponsored instead? How can I follow up about that today?
-
What’s my sponsorship menu look like? That is, what are the areas that I have power or connections in at work where I can easily provide opportunities for others?
