If we are to future-proof our leaders, business and
personal success, active sponsorship becomes an
imperative. The collaborative We space delivers
learning experiences, the chance to grow, and the
opportunity to promote and sponsor others.
The business case for sponsoring others is there.
Research conducted by the Center of Talent and
Innovation found that those men and women that
were sponsored felt that they were progressing
through the ranks of business at a satisfactory pace
— 70 per cent for men and 68 per cent for women —
compared to 57 per cent of those individuals that did
not have sponsors.
The Catalyst study highlights businesses that have
instituted formal programs charged with training a
diverse group of high-performing employees in the
benefits of sponsorship.
According to the study, model programs can be found
at McDonald’s, Deutsche Bank, CH2M HILL and Citi.
The Harvard study also applauded several companies
with active sponsorship programs, including American
Express, Cisco, Deloitte and Time Warner.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has historically had a strong
focus on diversity and inclusion. The company has a
myriad strategies, programs and activities to support
its employees and embrace inclusion across locations.
P&G leaders have found that women in particular may
have fewer role models, especially in areas such as
technology or research and development. To address
this issue, the company formed several core teams
of senior women within business lines and aimed to
support women on their career journey in these key
fields. Many regional efforts, like those in China and
across Asia, link to broader corporate activities.
For those who are looking to sponsor, there needs to
be an understanding:
• of the time commitment involved; it’s about giving
of oneself and sharing knowledge and resources
• that they will have to advocate on their protégé’s
behalf, connecting them to important players and
assignments
• that as a sponsor, they will not only give advice
and listen; they will actively seek opportunities for
advancement for their protégés.
For those wishing to be sponsored, there are
important points to bear in mind too:
• this is a two-way street; stellar performance is
expected because your sponsor is going to go the
extra mile for you in terms of promoting you to
influential people
• your sponsor is, without being cynical, looking for
some kind of return on their investment
• you have to make them look good, because they
are endorsing you to a very high degree.
As Kerrie Peraino, global head of talent at American
Express, says:
Trust is at the heart of this relationship …
when I put my faith in up-and-coming talent and
become their spon sor, I need to know I can totally
depend on them — because they are, after all,
walking around with my brand on.
And that is possibly the biggest benefit to both
parties with sponsoring. The person being sponsored
gets practical help, not just advice, in terms of their
career advancement — and the person sponsoring
has a talented individual at their fingertips, with the
potential to become a valuable resource in their own
arena, business or future collaborations.