Sponsors are influential leaders who advocate for you and connect you with career opportunities. In this webinar, learn the difference between mentors and sponsors, what sponsors expect from you, and 8 steps for attracting a sponsor's attention. Speaker: Jo Miller, CEO, Women's Leadership Coaching, Inc.

1. Attracting the Attention
of Influential Sponsors
With Jo Miller

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Corporate subscribers

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Welcome

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Jo Miller
Jo Miller
CEO
Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc.
• Founding Editor of BeLeaderly.com
• Helps women break into leadership
in industries such as technology,
finance and energy.
• Delivers over 60 speaking
presentations annually to audiences
of up to 1,200 women for women’s
conferences and corporate women’s
initiatives.
• Grew up in Adelaide, South Australia
and lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Loves wombats.

5. Copyright 2015, Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc.
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I have some unique
koalafications

6. #WLCWebinar
@Jo_Miller @BeLeaderl
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7. #WLCWebinar
Tweet your team selfie!
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In this webinar
I. The difference between mentors and sponsors
II. Attracting the attention of influential sponsors
III. How to be a good sponsor
IV. Creating a sponsorship culture

9. “There is a special kind of relationship — called
sponsorship — in which the mentor goes
beyond giving feedback and advice and uses his
or her influence with senior executives to
advocate for the mentee.
Our interviews and surveys alike suggest that
high-potential women are overmentored and
undersponsored relative to their male peers—
and that they are not advancing in their
organizations.”
“Why men still get more promotions than women,” by
Herminia Ibarra, Nancy M. Carter and Christine Silva,
Harvard Business Review.

10. “A sponsor is someone who will use
their internal political and social
capital to move your career forward
within an organization. Behind closed
doors, they will argue your case.”
— Cindy Kent, GM, 3M.

11. Four U.S.-based
and global studies
clearly show that
sponsorship — not
mentorship — is
how power is
transferred in the
workplace.
“Why You Need A Sponsor — Not A Mentor — To Fast-Track Your
Career,” by Jenna Goudreau, Business Insider.

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What’s the difference between mentors
and sponsors?

16. EARLY CAREER
Enlist mentors.
MID-LEVEL
Diversify
mentors,
attract sponsors,
cultivate peer
advocates.
SENIOR-LEVEL
Be a mentor and
a sponsor.
Bonus: Create a
sponsorship
culture.

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Making the most of mentoring

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4 S’s of mentoring successes
Stories
Situations
Self-
awareness
Skill-
building

19. “A sponsor is a person with a
seat at the decision-making
table who will throw your name
out for coveted assignments
and promotion opportunities.”
— Amanda Martinez, Vice President,
Supply Chain Purchasing and Vendor
Management, Safeway.

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Have you had a sponsor?
a) How did the sponsorship begin?
b) How did your sponsor help you?

21. Copyright 2015, Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc.
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Poll 1: Which statement best
describes your situation?

22. Only _____ % of
women and
_____ % of
men employed
in large
companies have
a sponsor.
“The Sponsor Effect,” Hewlett, Peraino, Sherbin and Sumberg, 2011.
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19

23. People who
have sponsors
are at least 22%
more likely to
ask for stretch
assignments
and raises.
Men and women
feel more
satisfied with
their career
advancement
when they have
sponsors.
Ambitious
women
underestimat
e the
difference
sponsorship
can make.
“The Sponsor Effect,” Hewlett, Peraino, Sherbin, Sumberg, 2011.

24. “… having an active
advocate completely
changes your career.”
— Kerrie Peraino,
Vice President for Human
Resources and Chief Diversity
Officer, American Express.

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Qualities of a Good Sponsor
• Influential
• Respected
• Has a track record of:
 Developing talent
 Providing exposure opportunities to
protégés
 Providing ‘air cover’ when you encounter
trouble. *
 Providing a ‘safety net’ during downsizing,
reorgs and leadership changes

26. “A sponsor does not have to be
an executive, but they do need
to have influence.”
— Millette Granville, Director, Diversity
and Inclusion, Delhaize Group.

27. “Are all your advocates in the
management chain directly above you?
I recommend that everyone have three
to four advocates outside of their direct
management chain.”
— Michelle Johnston Holthaus, GM, Channel
Platforms and Strategy Division, Intel.

28. 1. Believes in you,
understands and
values that you can be
a leader, and is willing
to take a bet on you.
2. Is prepared to go
out on a limb for you
and publicly support
you.
3. Is in your corner
and gives you “air
cover”.
1. Exceed
expectations, and
make your
performance known.
2. Demonstrate that
you are trustworthy
and loyal.
3. Bring something
special and unique to
the table.
Sylvia Ann Hewlett, quoted in “Why You Need A Sponsor — Not A Mentor — To Fast-Track Your
Career,” by Jenna Goudreau, Business Insider.
What a sponsor does What you must do

29. “How do I get a sponsor?”

30. “There is no ‘silver bullet’ for attracting the
attention of a high-level sponsor.”
“Sponsoring Women to Success,” Catalyst, 2011.

31. Attracting the attention of
influential sponsors

32. 8. Perform!

33. 7. Know who the good
sponsors are.
6. Observe the protocols: How
does sponsorship work in your
organization’s culture?

34. 5. Network beyond your direct
management chain.

35. 4. Raise your hand for
exposure opportunities to work
with or for potential sponsors.

36. 3. Make your value visible.

37. 2. Have clear
career goals.

38. 1. Share your goals
with your leaders.

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Attract the Attention of an Influential
Sponsor
8. Perform!
7. Know who the good sponsors are.
6. Observe the protocols: How does sponsorship
work in your organization’s culture?
5. Network beyond your direct management chain.
4. Raise your hand for exposure opportunities to
work with or for potential sponsors.
3. Make your value visible.
2. Have clear career goals.
1. Share your career goals with your leaders.

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Have you sponsored someone?
a) Why did you choose to sponsor them?
b) How did you help them?

41. Copyright 2015, Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc.
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Poll 2: Have you sponsored
others?

42. Copyright 2015, Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc.
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Create a Sponsorship Culture

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Be a good sponsor
• It’s NOT about favoritism!
• Recognize your own biases. Be equitable and
diverse in who you choose to sponsor.
• Get involved in your company’s “high potential”
program, diversity initiatives, & talent initiatives.
• Be open about what it takes for you to sponsor
someone.
• Talk with other leaders: “Who are our high
potentials?”
• Give your protégés opportunities to prove their
talent to you and other leaders.

44. “There’s such great evidence that
creating a culture of sponsorship can
help high potentials advance their own
careers and pay it forward. They
position themselves as leaders who
have the organization’s best interests
in mind.”
“Building a Culture of Sponsorship,” Melissa J.
Anderson.

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Creating a sponsorship culture
• Bring sponsorship out from behind closed
doors.
• Encourage open, transparent conversations
about what sponsorship is, how it works, and
what’s expected of sponsors and protégés.
• People who have benefitted from sponsorship
are more likely to sponsor others!
• Have conversations about diversity, and train
sponsors to be diversity champions.
• Create a formal sponsorship program for
high-potential employees.

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In this webinar
I. The difference between mentors and sponsors
II. Attracting the attention of influential sponsors
III. How to be a good sponsor
IV. Creating a sponsorship culture

47. Q&A
Jo Miller

48. Copyright 2015, Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc.
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Poll 3: What action will you
take?

49. Poised for Leadership
Workshop
May 5, 2016 in Roseville, MN.
Only 2 spots left!
BeLeaderly.com/pfl

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Recommended
Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor
By Sylvia Ann Hewlett
“What’s Missing With Mentors: 6
Steps for Attracting the Attention
of an Influential Sponsor”
By Jo Miller, BeLeaderly.com

51. Closing Thought
Jo Miller

52. “Sponsorship can come to you in
different ways.
You never know who is watching you,
so be “sponsor-ready” at all times.
—Millette Granville, Director, Diversity and Inclusion,
Delhaize Group.

53. 53
* Transitioning from Tactician to
Strategist
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Do you spend the majority of your
time at work as a task-oriented
tactician or do you think and operate
strategically, like leaders do? In this
session, learn how to shift your
focus from being tactical or reactive
to operating with a more strategic
mindset.
Speaker: Dona Munsch, VP, M&A,
AltaVault, NetApp, Inc.
Dona Munsch

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Discussion questions
1. Have you had a sponsor?
a) How did the sponsorship begin?
b) How did your sponsor help you?
2. What steps will you take to attract sponsors’
attention?
3. Have you sponsored someone?
a) Why did you choose to sponsor them?
b) How did you help them?
4. What action will you take to sponsor others?
5. What will you do to create a sponsorship
culture in your organization?