In our latest column dedicated to mentoring, we look at how to implement a sponsorship mentoring programme
By Lis Merrick
In most organisations, mentoring is seen primarily as developmental, with the emphasis on empowering and enabling people to do things for themselves. In some organisations, though, particularly those wishing to support individuals perceived to be unfairly disadvantaged, the exercise of authority and influence on behalf of a protégé is seen as appropriate.
Sponsorship mentoring programmes are often used to support male/female talent imbalance in large organisations. As Anne-Marie Slaughter wrote: “High-potential women need sponsors who will not only provide advice, but also actively create opportunities to shine and advance. Hard work and merit are simply not enough.”
So with sponsoring, there is real hands-on help from the sponsor/mentor. The mentor’s power and influence are important to the relationship and the more junior partner is typically referred to as a protégé.
This form of mentoring expects the sponsor/mentor to:
- Act as the individual’s internal champion among other senior leaders when opportunities arise for leadership development. This involves publicising, promoting and advancing the competencies and strengths of the individual in the right circles and providing sponsorship.
- Behave as a ‘guardian angel’, protecting the individual to advance their interests as they progress in the organisation. This may involve active support, ‘protection’ and ‘safe havens’.
- Open doors and make accessible influential people and build bridges in relationships between the individual and key contacts.
- Create high political awareness and the ability to read situations, supporting the development of networking and lobbying skills and the ability to develop coalitions, pressure groups and securing support of influential and power figures.
Sponsoring is less time-intensive than mentoring. It helps develop individuals’ careers and ensures the protégé is motivated to stay with their organisation. Sponsoring is most effective for talented groups of individuals, guiding them through organisational politics.
- Frequency Sponsor and protégé should meet three-four times a year in 60-90 minute sessions.
- Key skills Sponsors require active listening, asking effective questions, giving feedback and affirmation and encouragement. It is useful to brief the sponsor and protégé, ensuring both parties understand their roles and responsibilities and create an agreement for their relationship.
- Outside the meeting The sponsor may help identify possible opportunities for the individual, so some activity takes place outside of meetings.
- Matching The sponsor commonly identifies and chooses their own protégé.
- Regular relationship supervision This is key to ensuring both sponsor and protégé are operating in the boundaries of the programme. This form of relationship can create dependency and mental abuse if not supported well.
Harnessing the dynamic impact of sponsorship in a more formal programme can make a real difference to getting disadvantaged elements of the workforce fast-tracked to the top.
Next issue: how to implement a cross-organisational mentoring programme
Reference
- A-M Slaughter, Unfinished Business, Random House, 2015
Lis Merrick is a consultant and visiting fellow of the Coaching and Mentoring Research Unit at Sheffield Business School. She welcomes correspondence on anything to do with mentoring. Contact: Lismerrick@coach mentoring.co.uk