Best Advice: Sponsors Hold Open the Door to Your Future Success

In this series, professionals share the words of wisdom that made all the difference in their lives. Follow the stories here and write your own (please include the hashtag #BestAdvice in the body of your post).

Early in my career – or, maybe I should say, at the end of my first career – I made the classic female mistake. I thought success was all about doing my job extraordinarily well. If I put my head down and worked as hard as I knew how, my value to the organization would be obvious, and, of course, I would be recognized and promoted. Right?

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

My first job was in academia, as assistant professor of economics at Barnard College. At 27, I was the youngest faculty member and one of the few females in the economics department. I landed this sought-after position because I had academic credentials to spare. Unfortunately, when it came to street smarts, I came up seriously short.

I didn’t understand that at these beginning stages of a super-competitive career, I needed a sponsor — someone with power who believed in me and was prepared to propel and protect me as I set about climbing the ladder. Don’t get me wrong: I did acquire a ton of supporters and developed mentors among several close female colleagues. But they had little clout where it counted: when I came up for tenure.

In the months leading up to the decision, I was increasingly confident. My teacher ratings were off the charts, and I felt newly emboldened on the research front. My recent book had garnered great reviews and the attention of policy makers as well as scholars. As I helped my chairman assemble my dossier, I thought that it looked pretty impressive.

Imagine my shock when, three months later, I was denied tenure. My department supported me unanimously. The damage was done by the university-wide committee (the Appointments, Promotion and Tenure committee of Columbia University), which shot me down in a three-to-two vote. It turned out I had no advocates at this critical, final level. No one even knew me.

Tenure decisions are “up” or “out” — you’re either promoted (and given lifetime job security) or you’re fired. The decision came down in April; by mid-May, I was packing up my office and rethinking my choice of career.

I regrouped. I now understood that climbing the ladder in any competitive field required heavy-duty support from a senior person with heft and influence. Luckily, I knew one — and that person helped set me on the road to a new career, at a non-profit economic policy think-tank. That eventually led to my founding the Center for Talent Innovation, a task force and research center dedicated to propelling women — and other previously excluded groups — into leadership.

As my career evolved, so did my understanding of the power of sponsorship, and the critical difference between sponsors and mentors.

Now I don’t mean to dismiss mentors: Mentors matter. They give valuable advice, build self-esteem, and provide an indispensable sounding board when you’re unsure about your next steps. But at best, mentors can only offer backroom support, not front-and-center leverage. They’re not your ticket to the top.

If you want to fast-track your career, and get that next hot assignment, or make more money, you need a sponsor. As I explain in my book, Forget A Mentor, Find A Sponsor, sponsors do a lot of what mentors do — but they do much more: They believe in your value and potential, and are willing to go out on a limb on your behalf. They make you visible to leaders within the company and to top people outside as well. They have the clout to connect you to stretch opportunities. They’ll protect and defend you as you navigate the perilous ascent up the career ladder. In short, they’ll see you to the threshold of power and open the door.

Once I finally got it – sponsorship, that is – I did my utmost to never again let it go.

So my best advice to you is, whether you’re entering the job market for the first time, coming back after taking time away, or looking to give your career a boost, don’t just count on your abilities to help you move ahead. Focus on the real force multiplier to advance your career: a sponsor.