Fast-track Your Career with a Sponsor

This week I'm talking about the power of having a workplace sponsor.

At the beginning of my career, the people around me told me that I would reap the rewards of working hard. Hard work was the secret source to getting noticed and promoted at work. So that's what I did. I worked. HARD.

That meant always going above and beyond to deliver the highest quality, even when that meant gruelling hours of unpaid work outside of the office, doing the work of five people and turning projects around often on shamefully small budgets that would hardly cover the cost of a sandwich. Okay, so I exaggerated the budget. Sometimes there was no budget at all!

When you're creative and consistent, you do ALL the THINGS it takes to deliver great work. You deserve the rewards for your efforts, whether that's a promotion, a salary bump or access to better opportunities within the company.

I had faith in my ability to outwork others. I thought that this was the way to promotion. I enjoyed the satisfaction of delivering good work. I believed that oft-repeated fail-safe fable that my work would speak for itself.??

Do the work, go above and beyond and get rewarded.

And it did.

The work got noticed and rewarded.

Unfortunately, those rewards benefited others, not me.?

I watched from the sidelines as others moved up the ladder on the back of my work to better projects, promotion, and visibility.??

In the meantime, my reward was more work on rinse and repeat.

I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong or how could I improve the situation.

I had a review. I asked for a promotion for better, more stimulating work. The response from my manager at the time (and I will never forget it) was a flat refusal to entertain any idea that I could do anything other than what I was doing now. I wasn't suitable. They couldn't see me in a different role except for the one I currently occupied, and besides, I was a workhorse, and they would need at least two people to replace me —end of discussion.?

It took another two job moves with other organisations to finally break the 'Do the work, go above and beyond and get rewarded' cycle before I realised that my career progress had little to do with the work I was producing.

Learn from my mistakes. I didn't have a plan to get noticed.

I didn't have someone to champion my career and future potential in circles and rooms where I had no admittance. In other words, I didn't have a senior level workplace sponsor.

What is a sponsor?

Having a workplace sponsor is like having a personal career underwriter. A sponsor bears the risk for your future performance by spending their hard-earned political and social capital when they recommend, advocate and put you forward for opportunities.

If you want real advancement in your career without having to jump through unnecessary hoops or go around the long route, cultivating a senior-level sponsor is essential. Surveys have shown that you're more likely to accelerate your career goals with a sponsor on your side.

Typically a sponsor will:

1. Hold a senior position within the organisation.
2. Be attracted to your high-performance and leadership qualities
3. Believe in your potential to do great things for the organisation
4. Advocate on your behalf at those all-important decision making tables
5. See you as an important investment for their career positioning?
6. Make introductions on your behalf.

Why would a senior leader advance your career?

A sponsor relationship is mutually beneficial. Of course, a sponsor will want to be associated with high-performers. Still, there has to be more than performance in the mix for the relationship to work when they are risking their reputation and political capital on you.

Here's what I have discovered.?

Sponsors are leaders. And true leaders uplift others by guiding and developing potential in tomorrow's rising stars. Everyone appreciates recognition for their work, including sponsors, but recognising and using your influence to develop future talent is the measure which separates great leaders from the rest.?

Sponsors also get the multiplier effect from those whom they champion. Not only does sponsoring make them look good, but it also feels good.?

Stop playing small

Your boss may truly value you, and you may have the reputation of the go-to person within your team but being great at your job is probably not enough to advance your career to the next level of recognition. For that, you need a sponsor.

So how do you attract sponsors?

The first step is raising your visibility across the organisation.?

That means talking about your successes and interests and formulating a career plan for your next career move.

There are three things at the heart of your sponsor relationship that need to align.

• Your Performance?
• Your career potential?and,
• Mutual trust.?

Your sponsor may recommend you for opportunities without knowing all the details. Do you trust them and yourself enough to say yes?

You'll start to attract more attention when you consistently highlight the contributions of others, let go of perfectionism to try new things and be willing to overcome your failures quickly and try again.

Sponsors will help you expand your network and raise your name at the decision making tables where others are not.?

If you're not sure whether you have a sponsor rather than a supporter,?

Ask yourself this question.

Who is introducing me to the next level within your organisation?

I'm Selina, Mid-Career Executive Coach and Career Strategist. I give practical tips and guidance on career success strategies for experienced professionals who want fresh and creative tips on career management that help you fulfil your potential. I support senior leaders to create thriving and happy teams.

Let's connect.