Sponsorship and Mentorship: How to Propel Black Women in Leadership

“You need friends who mention your name in a room full of opportunities.” This expression, frequently seen in memes, speaks to the value of sponsorship. It goes beyond mentorship, which is frequently offered to women in the workplace. Mentorship is a great opportunity, but for Black women to advance there needs to be access to what White colleagues and men have had access to for so long - sponsorship. 

Sponsorship is distinctive from mentorship in terms of the level of support and the difference it can make. There are key differences between the two concepts. Mentorship is letting someone learn from you and providing advice that is helpful during someone’s career. Sponsorship is speaking in support of someone and vouching for them. It’s not about financial support like in advertising (although that could be helpful too!), it’s about being an ally and seeing that work of allyship as a verb, not just a title. 

Sponsors are staff members who are positioned high enough up the ladder to be able to make a meaningful endorsement that could change the lives of their protege. Instead of only providing networking advice, sponsors open their networks up to the person they are supporting, making warm introductions and paving the way for connection and community. 

By lending their platforms and reputations, sponsors put themselves out there to increase the visibility of their proteges, instead of just offering advice on how they can become more visible. Mentors advise mentees to take action. Sponsoring someone is an active role that requires investment. 

It isn’t just up to Black women to sponsor each other. It is profoundly important work that allies, particularly White men and women with positional power, can undertake to give substance to statements of support for Black people. Sponsorship is walking the talk and doing the work at work. 

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett is a Black scientist widely credited for laying the groundwork for COVID vaccines. Her sponsor Dr. Barney S. Graham who spoke highly of her talents in science commented, “When you recognize somebody has special qualities you need to do things that can keep those other things out of the way and avoid some of the dismissiveness that often happens to not only people of color, but women.”  He did not take credit for her advancement, but rather used the spaces he had access to broaden her opportunities - because he saw her potential. 

Mentorship is telling someone the way to get somewhere, while sponsorship is taking them by the hand and walking with them, pointing out hazards, and showing them shortcuts to help them arrive safely to their destination. It’s the difference between someone handing you a map and having an expert co-pilot. 

It’s important to identify who would make a good sponsor. Typically they are in decision-making positions around work allocation, salaries, and influences who gets ahead within an organization. They are people of influence who have platforms and connections to people and an ability to leverage those relationships for the benefit of others. 

Coqual (formerly the Centre for Talent Innovation) estimates 85% of women would benefit from “navigational support” but overwhelmingly the recipients of this support are White men. While women are more frequently mentored, men are more often sponsored and promoted. Mentorship is important but it doesn’t necessarily lead to upward mobility. 

Sponsorship is what is required to move Black women into leadership positions and it’s time for organizations to take steps to foster these relationships if they truly want to achieve their diversity goals. Mentorship, while well-intentioned, is never going to move the needle in the same way.

Proximity is a big challenge in terms of the advancement of Black women. People tend to hire people they know and are comfortable with. If you don’t have access to get in the same room as major decision makers, you are not going to get the proximity you need to succeed as easily as someone who already “belongs” in those spaces. Sponsorship bridges that gap. 

Organizations benefit when Black women have the opportunity to lead -  and sponsorship is the key to unlocking so many doors to innovation, inclusion, and enrichment. Black women deserve a friend who will mention their names in a room full of opportunities. How is your organization fostering connection, encouraging mentorship, and sponsoring Black women?