Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How Internal Transfers Can Help You Build a Sponsor
Transcript
- Lucas: You've heard the advice a hundred times — find a mentor. But if you're serious about moving up inside your company, there's a more powerful relationship you should be chasing, and it's not a mentor. Luna: You're talking about a sponsor. Someone who will actually put their reputation on the line for you. Lucas: Exactly. A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor gives you air cover. They're the person in the room when you're not in the room, saying your name for a promotion, a stretch assignment, a high-visibility project. And here's the thing — an internal transfer is arguably the single best moment to build that relationship. Luna: Why the transfer specifically? Why not just cultivate a sponsor in your current role? Lucas: Because a transfer resets your network. You're the new person in a new function or a new business unit. You have a natural reason to reach out to senior people you wouldn't normally interact with. And the stakes are lower — you're not asking for a favor yet, you're asking for context. That's the perfect entry point. Luna: So you're essentially using the transfer as a social excuse. 'Hi, I'm new here, would love to understand how your team thinks about X.' Lucas: Right. And the best sponsors are often two or three levels above you. People who sit on promotion committees or allocate budget for new headcount. They don't have time to mentor you weekly, but they can make one phone call that changes your trajectory. Luna: I've seen this play out. A friend of mine — mid-level marketer at Unilever — she transferred from the UK laundry detergents team to the global prestige beauty division. Completely different world. Within six months, she found a sponsor: the VP of marketing for the whole category. Lucas: What was the connection? Luna: She volunteered to lead a cross-functional project on sustainability packaging. The VP was passionate about that topic. She started sending him one-page summaries of what she was learning — not asking for anything, just sharing. After a few months, he started inviting her to meetings she wasn't on the invite for. That's sponsorship. Lucas: That's textbook. And that VP later recommended her for a director role when it opened. She got it. She told me the internal transfer was what made the whole thing possible — because if she'd stayed in laundry detergents, she'd never have had a reason to interact with the global beauty VP at all. Luna: So the transfer gives you access to a different pool of senior leaders. But there's also a timing element, right? You can start building the relationship before you even move. Lucas: Yes. And this is the part most people miss. They think, 'I'll get the new role, then I'll find a sponsor.' But the smartest movers start the conversation during the transfer process itself. When you're interviewing internally, you're already meeting senior stakeholders. That's a chance to demonstrate curiosity and competence before you have the job. Luna: So how do you identify the right person? It can't just be the most senior person in the building. Lucas: No. Look for someone whose priorities align with the work you want to do. Someone who has a track record of developing talent — you can spot this by asking around: 'Who in this division has a reputation for pulling people up?' Also, someone who is themselves well-connected. A sponsor's influence is only as good as their own network inside the company. Luna: And you need to be realistic about the ask. You're not walking up to a senior director and saying, 'Will you be my sponsor?' That's not how it works. Lucas: Absolutely not. The word 'sponsor' is almost never spoken. It's a relationship that emerges from repeated, value-added interactions. You start by asking for advice on a specific problem. Then you follow up with what you did with that advice. Then you share something relevant you've learned. Over time, you become someone they trust enough to bet on. Luna: And there's a subtle difference between a mentor and a sponsor here. A mentor might give you that same advice, but they won't necessarily act on your behalf. A sponsor will. Lucas: Right. And the research backs this up. A Center for Talent Innovation study found that employees with sponsors are significantly more likely to ask for — and receive — a promotion than those with only mentors. Sponsors also help close the gap in who gets access to stretch assignments. Luna: But there's a risk too. What if your sponsor leaves the company? Or loses political capital? Lucas: That's real. That's why you should never rely on a single sponsor. Build a portfolio. Ideally, you want two or three sponsors in different parts of the business. That way, if one leaves or their influence wanes, you're not back to zero. An internal transfer is a great time to diversify because you're meeting new people anyway. Luna: So you could have one sponsor in your new function and one in your old function, or in a completely different silo. Lucas: Exactly. And the old-function sponsor can be surprisingly valuable. They know your earlier work, they can speak to your consistency over time. It's a dual narrative: 'This person delivered in marketing, now they're delivering in supply chain.' That's a powerful story for a promotion committee. Luna: Let's talk about the actual conversation. If you're in a new role from an internal transfer, how do you start that sponsor relationship without being awkward about it? Lucas: The most natural entry point is a 'learning meeting'. You send a brief email: 'I recently moved into the X team. I'd love to hear your perspective on Y trend or Z initiative. I have 20 minutes whenever works.' No ask, no agenda beyond learning. That's your opening. Luna: And during that meeting, what are you trying to achieve? Lucas: Two things. First, you want to understand what this person cares about — what are their top three priorities? What keeps them up at night? Second, you want to demonstrate that you're thoughtful. Ask good questions. Reference something specific from their past work. If they mentioned a project in an all-hands, bring it up. That signals you pay attention. Luna: Then, after the meeting, you follow up with something useful. Maybe an article, a data point, or a summary of a conversation you had with a customer that relates to their priorities. Lucas: Exactly. And you do that consistently. Not every week — that's too much. But every few weeks, something small and relevant. After three or four touches, you can ask for a slightly bigger investment of their time: 'Would you be willing to review my approach to this project?' That's where the relationship starts shifting from mentor to sponsor. Luna: And if they say yes and you deliver, they'll start thinking of you as someone who can handle more. That's the tipping point. Lucas: Exactly. And here's a concrete example. A financial analyst I know transferred from corporate FP&A to a business unit role. He identified the CFO of that unit as a potential sponsor. He noticed the CFO was obsessed with improving the speed of month-end close. So the analyst built a small dashboard that automated a manual step in the process. He sent it to the CFO with a one-line note: 'Thought this might save you a few hours.' No request. Just value. Luna: What happened? Lucas: The CFO started cc'ing him on strategic emails. Then invited him to present at a leadership offsite. Six months later, when a senior manager role opened, the CFO called him before the job was even posted and said, 'I want you to apply.' That's sponsorship. Luna: It's almost like you're building a case file. Each interaction is a piece of evidence that you're worth investing in. Lucas: That's a great way to put it. And the internal transfer is the perfect moment to start that case file because you have a clean slate. No baggage. No preconceptions. People are naturally curious about the new person. You have a window of about 90 days where you can shape their perception of you. Luna: But what if you're in a remote or hybrid environment? You don't have the same casual encounters. Lucas: You have to be more intentional. Schedule those learning meetings. Use Slack or Teams to share quick wins. If there's a company-wide meeting, send a thoughtful question in the chat that the senior leader sees. The principles are the same — the medium is just different. Luna: One thing I've noticed: people often wait too long. They think, 'I'll prove myself in the role first, then find a sponsor.' But by then, the window has closed. Lucas: Yes. The first 30 days are golden. That's when everyone expects you to ask questions. Use that. Don't wait until you're settled. Start the sponsor search on day one. Luna: And if you're not getting traction with one person, move on. Not everyone is going to be your sponsor, and that's fine. Lucas: Completely. You're looking for signals: Do they respond to your emails? Do they make time for you? Do they offer to introduce you to others? If not, they're not sponsor material. Thank them for their time and focus on someone else. Luna: You know, this topic actually connects to something we've been thinking about behind the scenes. We put a lot of work into episodes like this — researching, scripting, recording — and we do it without any ads. That's intentional. But it's only possible because a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah. And we don't say that often, but it's true. If the show has helped you think through a career move — whether it's finding a sponsor or navigating a transfer — that support is what keeps us making episodes like this one. No pressure, just a fact. Luna: Exactly. Now back to sponsors — let's talk about how to maintain the relationship after you've gotten the promotion. Lucas: Right. So you get the promotion, you move into the new role. Your sponsor was instrumental. Now what? Do you keep the relationship going? Luna: I think you have to, but it changes. It becomes more reciprocal. You're now in a position where you might have insights or access that are valuable to them. Lucas: Exactly. You want to evolve from being a protégé to being a trusted ally. You share information that's useful. You offer to help with their initiatives. You become someone they want to keep investing in because you keep delivering. Luna: There's also the question of whether you should publicly acknowledge your sponsor. Some people prefer discretion. Lucas: I'd say read the room. Some sponsors like the public recognition — it signals they're good at developing talent. Others prefer to operate quietly. But one thing you should always do: when you get the promotion, send a personal note thanking them for their advocacy. That matters more than any public shout-out. Luna: And if you leave the company? Do you keep in touch? Lucas: Absolutely. A sponsor who helped you once can help you again — maybe at a different company. Those relationships are career-long if you maintain them. Send a quarterly update. Share what you're working on. You never know when they might recommend you for something. Luna: So to sum up: internal transfer gives you access. Use that access to find someone who will advocate for you. Build the relationship through value, not asks. And do it early, in the first 90 days. Lucas: That's the playbook. And if you do it right, you'll have someone in your corner who can change the trajectory of your career. Not just giving advice — but actually making things happen. Luna: I think we've given people a lot to think about. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. See you next time.