Latest / The Career Mentor Podcast with Fexingo: Finding Mentors, Sponsors, and Career Advisors / The Sponsorship Conversation You Need to Have
Transcript
- Lucas: We talk a lot about finding mentors, but there's a harder conversation that most professionals avoid entirely — the ask for sponsorship. Luna: And by sponsorship you mean someone who actively advocates for you when you're not in the room, right? Lucas: Exactly. A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor uses their political capital to get you promoted, to get you on the right project, to make sure your name comes up when a senior role opens. And the data shows that people who have sponsors are much more likely to advance quickly. Luna: I read a study from the Center for Talent Innovation that said employees with sponsors were 47 percent more likely to get a promotion than those without. Lucas: That study is actually the one I want to anchor this whole conversation around. Forty-seven percent — that's almost half again as likely. But here's the problem: most people never formally ask for sponsorship. They hope it happens organically, or they confuse a mentor who gives good feedback with a sponsor who sticks their neck out. Luna: So what does the actual ask look like? Because I think a lot of people worry that asking for sponsorship sounds demanding or presumptuous. Lucas: It's a delicate thing. I had a conversation with a chief talent officer at a Fortune 500 company a few years ago, and she told me that the most effective sponsorship asks are framed around specific, concrete actions. Not 'will you be my sponsor?' — that's too vague. But three questions that she said work very well. Luna: Okay, I'm taking notes. Lucas: First question: 'Can you advocate for me when I'm not in the room?' Second: 'Will you connect me with your network?' Third: 'If you had a key role to fill, would you consider me first?' Each of those is measurable. The person can say yes or no to each, and you know exactly what you're getting. Luna: That third one is the hardest to ask. 'Would you consider me first' — that implies a level of trust and ambition that can feel awkward to put on the table. Lucas: Absolutely. But the talent officer I spoke with said that the people who ask that question — and ask it sincerely — are the ones who get the sponsors. Because they signal that they're serious about their career, and they respect the sponsor's time enough to be direct. Luna: Is there a right time to ask? Like, should you have a certain rapport built up first? Lucas: You should definitely have a track record of delivering results and some existing relationship. But the research suggests that waiting too long is a bigger mistake than asking too early. The same study I mentioned found that professionals who asked for sponsorship within the first year of working with a senior leader were 30 percent more likely to receive it than those who waited longer than a year. Luna: So you're saying it's better to ask at month ten than at month eighteen. Lucas: Exactly. Because the longer you wait, the more the relationship settles into a mentor-mentee dynamic. And once that pattern is set, it's harder to shift into sponsorship. The sponsor needs to see ambition early, and they need to feel like they're investing in your trajectory, not just advising on your current projects. Luna: What about people who don't have an obvious senior leader above them? Say you're in a flat organization or you're a freelancer. Lucas: That's a great point. Sponsorship isn't limited to your direct chain of command. You can look for sponsors in adjacent teams, at other companies, or even through professional associations. The key is that they have influence in the area where you want to grow. For a freelancer, that might be a client who can refer you to other clients or a partner who can bring you into a larger project. Luna: So the ask might be something like 'If you hear of a project that fits my skills, would you keep me in mind?' — which is basically the freelancer version of 'would you consider me first?' Lucas: Exactly. The principle is the same: you're asking for active advocacy, not just passive support. And I want to underscore something important here. Sponsorship is a two-way street. A sponsor is taking a risk on you. So you need to be clear about what you bring to the table and how you won't let them down. Luna: I've heard the phrase 'sponsorship currency' — the idea that you need to earn the right to be sponsored by delivering results first. Lucas: Right. You don't walk into a room and ask for sponsorship on day one. You need to have a track record, even if it's a short one. But here's a nuance that I think a lot of people miss: it's not just about past results. It's about future potential. Sponsors invest in people who they believe will be successful, not just people who have been successful. Luna: So part of the ask is articulating your vision for where you want to go. Lucas: Absolutely. The best sponsorship conversations include a clear statement of your career goal — something like 'My goal is to lead a product team within the next two years, and I believe your guidance and advocacy could help me get there.' That gives the potential sponsor a reason to say yes. Luna: I want to circle back to the rejection piece. What if you ask and someone says no, or gives a lukewarm response? Lucas: That happens. And it's important to handle it gracefully. If someone says no, or if you get a non-committal 'sure, I'll keep you in mind' that never materializes, you need to have a follow-up plan. The best thing you can do is thank them for their time and then move on to another potential sponsor. Don't burn the bridge — they might become a sponsor later, or they might be willing to mentor instead. Luna: But if someone says no, doesn't that damage the relationship? Lucas: It can, if you ask poorly. But if you ask respectfully and frame it as a request for a specific type of support, most senior leaders appreciate the directness. I've actually heard from executives that they wish more junior people would ask for sponsorship, because it helps them identify high-potential talent. So even a no can leave a positive impression. Luna: Let's talk about a concrete example. Say you've been at a company for 18 months, you've exceeded your targets, and you want to be considered for a team lead role that's opening in six months. Walk me through the conversation. Lucas: Okay. You schedule a one-on-one with a senior leader — could be your boss's boss, or someone in a different department who has influence. You start by saying thank you for their time and then you briefly recap your results. Then you say, 'I'm interested in the team lead role that's coming up. I've been preparing by doing X and Y. I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to sponsor me for that role — specifically, if you'd advocate for me in the selection process.' Luna: And if they say yes, then what? Do you check in regularly? Lucas: Yes. You want to keep the sponsor updated on your progress and any new accomplishments. But you also want to be respectful of their time. A quarterly update email or a brief check-in every few months is usually enough. The key is to make it easy for them to advocate for you — give them facts and stories they can use when your name comes up. Luna: I've also heard that you should have more than one sponsor. Is that common? Lucas: Very common. Having a single sponsor is risky because that person might leave the company or lose influence. Having two or three sponsors diversifies your support. And they don't all have to be at the same company. In fact, having sponsors in different parts of your industry can be even more powerful because they open up different networks. Luna: So the goal is to build a sponsorship portfolio, not just find one person. Lucas: Exactly. And the best way to start building that portfolio is to have the conversation. It's uncomfortable, but the data is clear: people who ask for sponsorship get promoted faster. So my challenge to listeners is to identify one person this week who could be a potential sponsor and prepare your ask. Use the three-question framework if it helps. Luna: And if you're feeling nervous, remember that 47 percent uplift. That's a big number. Lucas: It's a huge number. And I think the biggest barrier is just not asking. So ask. You might be surprised by how many people say yes.