I’ve been fortunate to have benefited from many mentors and to have helped others by being a mentor for them – formally and informally. It’s a wonderful way to build connections and learn from others who have gone before you.
A former colleague shared a quote about mentoring that has stayed with me for over a decade, and I reference it often when discussing the benefits of mentoring. “A mentor’s hindsight is a mentee’s foresight”, quoted by Grey Owl. I believe every leader should give back and mentor several people throughout their career. But here’s the thing, don’t stop there.
“Mentors talk with you, sponsors talk about you.”
– Heather Foust-Cummings
Mentoring vs Sponsoring
Mentoring
While mentoring is a wonderful way to help others learn, every once in a while, you come across a talented individual who unknowingly broadcasts “Sponsor me”. They have a few key things that really stand out: life experience that demonstrates grit, resilience, and perseverance; an openness to learn – really learn – from their experiences, feedback, and other people; and potential, not yet tapped into, simmering near the surface waiting to be noticed and ignited by someone who can envision what might be in the future.
Sponsoring
Sponsoring includes the same offering of feedback, networking, guidance, and advice as mentoring, but it goes a step further – a step that could make a significant and long-term difference in someone’s career. Mentors give, while sponsors invest. With any investment there is always heavy lifting involved; a sponsor has skin in the game. Seeing the potential in the talent they have uncovered, a sponsor will take interest in furthering a person’s career, knowing that if they have made the right bets, their investment will pay dividends for both.
A sponsor will stick their neck out to get the talent exposure and advocate for the talent to be promoted. They will – with care – push the talent out of their comfort zone and encourage risk taking. At the same time, a sponsor will expect high performance, continued progress, and a strongly developed sense of loyalty that flows in both directions.
It truly is a win-win and very emotionally rewarding relationship that evolves between sponsor and the talent being sponsored. It happens naturally and lasting bonds form that span across the years that build fulfilling careers.
I am thankful to have spotted such talent from time to time and I take my role as sponsor quite seriously. While I have never declared “Hey, I’m sponsoring you”, I am quite certain that those whom I have could sense it, feel it, and value it. All that matters is that I have made a positive and lasting contribution to the career growth of someone else, and for that I am a better and happier leader. You know who you are.
– Melissa Law
