You don't need another mentor. You need a sponsor, or two...

Advice is lovely. Advocacy changes careers.

"A mentor talks to you. A sponsor talks about you."

Most women have heard the phrase: "Go find yourself a mentor." or "Join this mentoring programme."

Let me be very blunt here, I have not met a single person whose career moved through a mentor. What moves careers is people dropping your name for opportunities, in rooms you don't have access to.

"What about Nina. She worked on this client project in Asia last year. This is just the next step for her. She'd be brilliant at it."

"Lisa has just the right skills and attitude to lead on this project."

"Christiana is a go-getter, I couldn't think of a better woman to take on this new project."

This is how sponsorship sounds like. This is how stretch assignments are won. And this is how careers are being created in the corporate world - behind closed doors, by people higher up who are willing to back you.

"Mentors give advice. Sponsors spend capital."

A mentor might help you think through whether you're ready for the bigger role.

A sponsor calls the person hiring for it.

A mentor tells you that you deserve more visibility.

A sponsor puts you on the agenda.

A mentor helps you navigate the organisation.

A sponsor uses their reputation to help you move through it.

Both are valuable.

But don't confuse them.

Career Fact

The 2025 Women in the Workplace research found employees with sponsors had been promoted at nearly twice the rate of employees without them. Women were also less likely than men to have sponsors.

So yes, relationships matter.

But which relationships matters too. Be strategic and selective.

And never ever ask: "Will you be my sponsor."

In fact, you might have sponsors and you're not aware of them, and you might have people in your life who are dangling the carrot but actually never making that phone call or introduction to back you.

Sponsorship is rarely created through an awkward formal proposal.

It is earned. People who have seen you in action. People who share your values. People who you respect and who respect you...maybe people you are currently working with or you used to work with.

Before you look at assessing what your sponsorship circle might look like, ask yourself:

• Who has influence over the opportunities I want?

  • Do they know me? My experience? And my ambition?

• Who knows that I am good?

  • Do they have up to date information and latest successes?

• Who would be credible saying my name when I'm not there?

  • Who has a similar story to me, similar values or background?

Then give those people reasons to know you and your work better.

Do something excellent for them.

Solve a problem.

Share a useful idea.

Keep them intelligently informed about what you're achieving.

And make your ambition visible.

Because even the world's greatest sponsor cannot advocate for a career direction you've kept entirely secret.

One thing to remember

Mentors help you think differently.

Sponsors help other people think differently about you.

You probably want both.

But once you're good enough to move up, make sure somebody influential knows it.

And as always remember: Karma is watching! The best way to gain a sponsor, is to be a sponsor for someone else.

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Read further

LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company, Women in the Workplace 2025. The research finds that sponsorship is strongly associated with advancement and that women receive less of it.