Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor

What's "Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor" about?

• Focus on Sponsorship: The book emphasizes the importance of finding a sponsor rather than just a mentor to fast-track one's career. Sponsors are individuals who have the power to advocate for you and help you advance professionally.
• Career Advancement Strategy: It provides a strategic approach to career development, highlighting how sponsorship can lead to promotions, pay raises, and high-profile assignments.
• Gender and Diversity Lens: The book addresses the unique challenges faced by women and minorities in the workplace and how sponsorship can help overcome these barriers.
• Practical Guidance: It offers actionable advice and a roadmap for both protégés seeking sponsors and sponsors looking to support high-potential talent.

Why should I read "Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor"?

• Career Growth: If you're looking to accelerate your career, this book provides insights into how sponsorship can be a game-changer.
• Data-Driven Insights: The book is backed by research and data, offering evidence-based strategies for career advancement.
• Diverse Perspectives: It includes stories and advice from successful leaders across various industries, providing a broad perspective on the power of sponsorship.
• Actionable Advice: The book offers practical steps and strategies that you can implement to find and maintain a sponsor relationship.

What are the key takeaways of "Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor"?

• Sponsorship vs. Mentorship: Sponsors invest in your career and advocate for you, while mentors provide advice and guidance.
• Reciprocal Relationship: Sponsorship is a two-way street where both parties benefit; protégés must deliver results and loyalty.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Sponsorship is crucial for women and minorities to break through barriers and achieve leadership roles.
• Strategic Networking: Building a network of sponsors, both within and outside your organization, is essential for career resilience.

How does Sylvia Ann Hewlett define sponsorship in the book?

• Advocacy and Influence: A sponsor is someone who believes in your value and potential and is willing to advocate for you at decision-making tables.
• Career Advancement: Sponsors help you get promotions, pay raises, and high-profile assignments by leveraging their influence.
• Risk and Reward: They provide air cover, allowing you to take risks and innovate without fear of failure.
• Mutual Investment: Sponsorship is a strategic alliance where both the sponsor and protégé invest in each other's success.

What are the best quotes from "Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor" and what do they mean?

• "A mentor gives you advice about how to get ahead. A sponsor has power and uses it to get you a great assignment." This quote highlights the fundamental difference between mentorship and sponsorship, emphasizing the active role sponsors play in career advancement.
• "Women are often overmentored and undersponsored." This quote points out a common issue where women receive plenty of advice but lack the advocacy needed to reach leadership positions.
• "Sponsorship isn’t favoritism or politics; it doesn’t rig the game. On the contrary, it ensures you get what you’ve worked for and deserve." This quote clarifies that sponsorship is about recognizing and rewarding talent and hard work, not about unfair advantages.

How can I find a sponsor according to "Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor"?

• Identify Potential Sponsors: Look for leaders who are aware of your skills, stand to benefit from your help, and have the clout to advance your career.
• Demonstrate Value: Show what makes you worth sponsoring by highlighting your unique skills and contributions.
• Propose a Quid Pro Quo: Clearly articulate what you can offer your sponsor and what you hope to gain in return.
• Build a Network: Cultivate relationships with multiple sponsors to distribute risk and ensure career resilience.

What is the "2 + 1 Rule" mentioned in the book?

• Diversified Sponsorship: The "2 + 1 Rule" suggests having two sponsors within your organization and one outside to ensure career stability.
• Internal Sponsors: One sponsor should be in your line of sight, and another in a different department or division to provide broader support.
• External Sponsor: An external sponsor can offer opportunities and insights beyond your current organization.
• Risk Management: This approach helps protect your career from organizational changes and leadership churn.

How does the book address the challenges faced by women and minorities in the workplace?

• Barriers to Advancement: The book discusses the unique challenges women and minorities face, such as bias and lack of access to influential networks.
• Importance of Sponsorship: It emphasizes that sponsorship is crucial for overcoming these barriers and achieving leadership roles.
• Diverse Stories: The book includes stories from successful women and minority leaders, providing insights into how they navigated their careers.
• Actionable Strategies: It offers specific strategies for women and minorities to find sponsors and leverage these relationships for career growth.

What role does executive presence play in sponsorship according to the book?

• Definition of Executive Presence: Executive presence is the combination of gravitas, communication skills, and appearance that signals leadership potential.
• Importance for Sponsorship: Having executive presence makes you more likely to attract and retain sponsors, as it demonstrates your readiness for leadership.
• Feedback and Improvement: The book stresses the importance of seeking feedback to develop executive presence and align it with organizational expectations.
• Cultural Considerations: It acknowledges that executive presence can be culturally specific and offers guidance on navigating these nuances.

How does Sylvia Ann Hewlett suggest handling the potential pitfalls of sponsorship?

• Avoiding Misconceptions: Be aware of the potential for sponsorship relationships to be misconstrued, especially between men and women.
• Professional Boundaries: Maintain professionalism in all interactions and be transparent about your career goals and personal commitments.
• Addressing Distrust: For minorities, it's important to overcome distrust and actively seek sponsorship from leaders of all backgrounds.
• Navigating Executive Presence: Be mindful of how you present yourself and seek feedback to ensure your executive presence aligns with leadership expectations.

What are some practical steps for protégés to take in leveraging sponsorship?

• Deliver Results: Consistently perform at a high level and demonstrate your value to the organization.
• Communicate Effectively: Keep your sponsor informed about your progress and any challenges you face.
• Show Loyalty: Be a reliable and trustworthy ally to your sponsor, supporting their goals and initiatives.
• Develop Unique Skills: Identify and cultivate skills that set you apart and make you indispensable to your sponsor.

How does "Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor" redefine traditional career development?

• Shift from Mentorship to Sponsorship: The book challenges the traditional focus on mentorship by highlighting the greater impact of sponsorship on career advancement.
• Transactional Relationships: It redefines career development as a strategic, reciprocal relationship where both parties invest in each other's success.
• Focus on Results: The book emphasizes the importance of delivering tangible results and building a personal brand to attract sponsors.
• Inclusive Leadership: It advocates for a more inclusive approach to leadership development, recognizing the diverse talents and contributions of women and minorities.