Episode 13 : A Sponsor Changes Your Career Trajectory

Her Career Ladder

Talking about career at your career team. And today we’re specifically gonna talk about sponsors, what is a sponsor? And truly understanding the power that sponsors have in really helping you get to where you want to be in your career. Now, you’re like, Michelle, you may like a sponsor for like an event, a sponsor if I am in a guest. No. So very specifically, there are different types of sponsors. But I’m specifically talking about career sponsors, those people who help guide you through your career, and they make things a whole lot smoother, a whole lot easier. A whole lot. I don’t know. cozier than it could be, if they were not there. Right. So the first thing that a sponsor does, they advocate for you, your your sponsor many times, can get into meetings, we’ll be talking to people you generally won’t see you won’t interface with within the workplace, especially if you’re with a large corporation, you have different divisions, you have different offices, they will have the inside track and have the ability to talk about you to people who know nothing about you, you’re simply an employee number from part of department, Hey, you are truly truly just somebody they don’t really know up and know much about. So it’s truly important to have an advocate who, who is there, let me make sure I’m in the right place. Right, I got to make sure I’m in the right places you scare me. Okay, well have a good night. Thank you so much for joining me. Um, so if you have a, an advocate in the workplace, right, if you have an advocate in the workplace, they’re helping you guess what? Bypass barriers, they truly take barriers out of your way, so that you can progress quickly and more smoothly in your career. Now, this person has power and authority to do that. So you’re like, Michelle, what do you mean? They remove obstacles? How many times do you see job postings where in they say, you must have this? You like I said, I have to have it. So I’m not going to apply? Then somebody says to you. Okay, then, then somebody comes to you say, Hey, there’s this role we want you to apply for in this group, or there’s a role we think you’d be perfect for. And you look at it, like I don’t have any of this, I have maybe 20% 30% of it, like oh no, you will do great. Such and Such recommended you and you’re like such and such I hardly ever talk to such and such, what happens is such and such, or what’s his name, or what surname is your sponsor, you may not be aware of it until people come to you with different opportunities you had thought you’re not ready for, you may have thought you didn’t have the requirements for you just thought it was beyond where you are. What happens is that sponsor has removed the must haves, the EU, the requirements, right, the mandatory require they’ve removed or met the mandatory requirements for that role. A sponsor can truly do that. They make it a whole lot easier for you to have access to that role, access to new opportunities in an organization and if they’re really really powerful within the industry. So watch out because you having the right sponsor can take you to different places and different levels you never thought possible. Now, what else so so now that you have this role, and you’re like Michelle, if this sponsor gets me to roll and I’m not ready for

and I fail, I’m check the hell up. Maybe not. So what a sponsor does a sponsor also protects you. So the sponsors get removed these barriers so you can get access to opportunity that you can’t progress faster in your career. So to progress faster mean you have to take risks bigger More often, and you’re probably going to fail fast. But you also need to be able to recover fast, well happens to a lot of women of color, especially in technical spaces where you’re scientists, engineers, developers, and so forth. And it, what happens is, you have very small windows to fail, because you do not have a sponsor. Failing one time can get you fired, failing one time, he completely make you not eligible in the organization for any management role, because there is no one to protect you when you fail. But failure is a part of everything in life. This sponsor protects you when you fail. Trust me, I’ve had a sponsor who protected me and the way who believed in me and saw my potential. And I was able to grow within a two year period to the point where I was getting a bonus, the client was sent an email saying how great it was to work with me, they couldn’t have done it without me. And having a candid conversation with the, with my sponsor, at the time on the side of the road, was like, You know what, you were struggling at beginning of this project, but you have done such a great job. And nobody else managers didn’t believe me, but the sponsor did, the sponsor saw something my manager at the time didn’t see. And the sponsor literally made sure I got this other role, because I talked to my then manager, prior to getting the role. He said, Hey, and he was like, Oh, well, I’m looking for somebody who has this, this and this, my sponsor was like, now go apply for this. Don’t worry about it, just go apply. And I got the position. So sponsors truly, truly do take the chance, and they see something different in you, and they protect you while you are taking high risks. So do understand you can take more risks. And that is truly how you grow throughout your career, because you’re taking more risks. Alright. The next thing this sponsor is willing to advocate for you remove barriers, and give you protection, because they see your skills and abilities in a different way, a manager may not a different way than a mentor may not. Um, and so with that they’re able to really have faith and see that you have potential to go and be something great within an organization to really have a great career. So I tied those two in so the sponsor knows your skills and abilities. And he or she also sees your potential. So when you are trying to fit well, why did this person pick me? They see something in you. It is like, you ever go pick fruit or vegetable? And you’re like, No, no, this is the right malate this is the right cucumber, this is the right pitch, you just see it. And you know, it is right it, it smells right, it has the right coloring is the right shape, right, you just absolutely know it is the right bunch of collars. And this is the same thing with sponsors, they see that you have what it takes. And they absolutely believe in you. So I’m gonna do a recap of the five characteristics that a sponsor will exhibit towards you, they will advocate for you. removeable barriers, protect you when you fail, because you will fail. They will know your skills and abilities.

Yeah, you just see it right. They know your skills and abilities and they see your potential. When you have an advocate like this, when you truly have an advocate, you can go so far in your career, or at least in your workplace. Now, I know some of your ones like Michelle, but we talked about mentors, mentors, and advocates can be different people, a mentor can be guiding you, but an advocate, a mentor may not be able to have the same authority and get into the same places as a sponsor. A sponsor truly does have power, authority and respect from a lot of people, which is why they’re able to advocate for you and people listen, they’re able to remove barriers because they’ve built relationship people respect them, and they’re able to protect you. And because they have those characteristics, they can definitely be different than a mentor. So they could be the same person they could be somebody different. So don’t think they’re always the same thing. But an a sponsor can truly smooth the path while I mentor focuses on The things you need to do in order to progress in your career. So your sponsor may not even talk to you often. But they can see the work you’re doing with your mentor and how you making changes and you’re making progress. And they really liked that because you’re continuing to show them that they were right in believing in your potential, and that your skills and abilities are growing and getting better over time. Yes, so you gotta love it. So that’s why I split apart, mentor and sponsor because they can be different people. Everybody, I’m Michele Heyward. This is another edition of mentor Monday. I will be back next week for another edition. I think we’re going to talk about community. Yes, having a community when it comes to your professional career. Until then, have a great work week. No, Monday’s aren’t sad Mondays are fun days. They are the way for you to create energy to activate or your career strategy. So you can go to where you want to be in your community. So don’t dread Mondays, Mondays are fun days, and they’re definitely definitely a way to progress in your career. You’re absolutely welcome, everybody, have a great week. Bye.