Sponsors champion, coach and challenge their protégés to new levels of leadership. They put their own reputation on the line to advocate for junior talent, helping them get in front of the right people. In fact, recent data shows us that black managers are 65% more likely to be promoted to the next level if they have a sponsor.
We’ve been doing a lot of sponsorship training lately and the question that keeps coming up again and again is, ‘Can I be a sponsor to someone I’ve never worked with?’ and the answer is a resounding Yes. It requires more of an initial commitment to build the relationship and trust, but ultimately can be even more rewarding for both parties.
So, what can protégés do to kick off a sponsorship relationship with someone they’ve never worked with? The easy answer is to come prepared. We’ve worked with a lot of experienced sponsors, and they appreciate when protégés come to the first meeting with a:
Another question that has been coming up again and again is protégés wondering how they in turn can offer value to their sponsors. To find out the answer, keep an eye out for our blog post next week where we take a deep dive into the issue.
In the meantime, if you or your company are interested in sponsorship training, our customized workshops have a 95% approval rating and we’d be honoured to help.
Share:
Enter your email below to get access to our proven leadership tips and DEI best practices