Sponsorship: Is it a Prerequisite

to Drive Career Advancement

The Conference Board

Women’s Leadership Conference

Inspiration. Influence. Innovation.

April 12, 2011

The Catalyst Team

Michael J. Chamberlain

Senior Director , Brand

Management & Events

Jan Combopiano

Vice President &

Chief Knowledge Officer

© Catalyst 2011

Supporting Women’s

Advancement

Mentoring and Sponsorship

Defined

Mentoring Relationship between two people for the purposes of development and career navigation.

Sponsorship An individual, usually someone at a more senior level or with

strong influence, assists a protégé in gaining visibility for particular

assignments, promotions, or positions.

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Mentoring: Passé or Just

Misunderstood?

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Mentoring Works

Decreased stress

Increased job satisfaction

Improved performance

Increased exposure

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Mentoring: Pipeline’s Promise?

Want to get ahead?

Get a mentor.

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Mentoring: Pipeline’s

Mixed Results

What do

$9,260

access to senior leaders

& more promotions

have in common?

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Mentoring: Pipeline’s

Mixed Results

Women with mentors achieved higher

salary growth

Mentors help women catch up

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Sponsorship: When Mentoring

is Not Enough

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Why it Matters Most for Women

• Double Bind for Women in Leadership

• Unwritten Rules

• Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives

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Double Bind for Women

in Leadership

Women are disadvantaged by

stereotypes

• Extreme Perceptions

• High Competence

Threshold

• Competent, but Disliked

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Double Bind for Women

in Leadership

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Extreme Perceptions

Double Bind for Women

in Leadership

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The High Competence Threshold

Double Bind for Women

in Leadership

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Competent but Disliked

Unwritten Rules

Learning Strategies

Career Strategies

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Unwritten Rules

Learning Strategies• Observation

• Soliciting feedback

• Seeking out mentors

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Engaging Men in

Gender Initiatives

The journey to becoming a

champion

• Awareness of gender bias

• Active advocacy for gender

equality in the workplace

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Mentoring and Sponsorship

Link to Inclusion

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SponsorMentor

How Do We Change

Women’s Representation

champions inclusiveness leadershipfa

irness

commitment actionaccounta

bility

women men

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What You Can Do

Sponsor

Someone

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Mentor a Man

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What You Can Do

Questions/Discussion

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Catalyst Resources

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www.catalyst.org

Research Report: Mentoring Necessary but Insufficient

Tool: Maximizing Mentoring and Securing Sponsorship

Research Report: Making Mentoring Work

Tool: Mentor and Mentee Career Development Plan

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