Latest / Career Coaching with Fexingo: Professional Coaches, Career Counselors, and Guidance for Workers / How a Career Sponsorship Can Change Your Trajectory
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a concept in career development that a lot of people think they understand, but the research is pretty clear: most of us actually confuse it with something else entirely. Luna: You're talking about sponsorship versus mentorship, right? I feel like those get used interchangeably all the time. Lucas: Exactly. And the difference matters a lot. Because a mentor gives you advice, but a sponsor uses their political capital to put you in rooms you wouldn't get into on your own. And the data says sponsorship is a much stronger predictor of promotions—especially into senior leadership. Luna: Yeah, and I think a lot of us do the mentor thing well—finding someone we trust who can give us feedback. But the sponsor thing? That's often invisible until someone actually does it for you. Lucas: That's the thing. If we've helped you think through a career move or a tricky workplace dynamic, and you want to support the show staying independent and ad-free, listeners chip in at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small group that keeps this going, and it genuinely makes a difference. Luna: Yeah, it's how we keep making episodes exactly like this one. And it's completely optional—just a way for people who find value in it to give back. Lucas: Right. So back to sponsorship. One of my favorite examples is from journalist and inclusion strategist Ruchika Tulshyan. She tells a story about a sponsor she had early in her career—a senior editor who didn't just say 'great writing.' Instead, when a promotion opportunity came up, that editor walked into a closed-door meeting with other senior leaders and argued for her to get the role. Luna: So the editor didn't ask Ruchika if she was interested or tell her to apply. The editor just made the case behind closed doors where she couldn't even see it happening. Lucas: Exactly. That's sponsorship in action. The editor used her own reputation to push for Ruchika. And it worked—Ruchika got the promotion. But she didn't even know the conversation happened until months later. That's the invisible advocacy. Luna: It's almost scary how much happens in those rooms. But it also shows that if you don't have someone advocating for you, you're probably not even in the running for certain moves. Lucas: Right. And research from the Center for Talent Innovation backs this up. They found that employees with sponsors are significantly more likely to ask for a promotion—and get it—than those without. But here's the kicker: women and people of color are less likely to have sponsors, even when they have mentors. Luna: Which means the gap isn't about competence or ambition. It's about access to someone who can pull the lever for you. Lucas: So the question becomes: how do you identify a potential sponsor? The first thing is to look for someone who has power and is willing to use it. A mentor might be a peer or someone two levels above. A sponsor is almost always a senior leader who has a seat at the table where decisions are made. Luna: And they have to trust you enough to stake their reputation on you. Because if they advocate for you and you underperform, it reflects on them. Lucas: Exactly. So the relationship needs to be built on proven performance. You need to have delivered results that the potential sponsor has seen or heard about. That's why one tactic is to make your work visible—not in a braggy way, but by creating 'sponsorship moments.' Luna: What's a sponsorship moment? Give me a concrete example. Lucas: Sure. Say you're in a meeting and you present an analysis that saves the team a lot of time. Instead of just moving on, you could say something like 'I'd be happy to present this to the wider group if it's useful.' That signals ambition and visibility without being pushy. A senior person in the room might remember that when a stretch assignment comes up. Luna: So you're basically making it easy for them to think of you. You're creating a reason for them to say 'What about Lucas?' Lucas: Exactly. And then when you identify someone who could be a sponsor, the ask is different than with a mentor. You don't say 'Can you be my sponsor?' That's too direct and it sounds transactional. Instead, you ask for specific help on a specific problem. For example, 'I'm interested in moving into product management. Do you have any advice on how I could get exposure to that work?' Luna: And then if they give you advice, you follow up and show progress. Over time, they see you're serious, and they start advocating naturally. Lucas: Right. And there's a particular moment that often triggers sponsorship: when you're in a stretch role or a visible project. That's when sponsors are most likely to step in because there's a clear opportunity to advocate. So if you get assigned something tough, lean into it, and let the right people know the outcome. Luna: One thing I've seen is that sponsors also protect you. They shield you from office politics or from being blamed for something that wasn't your fault. That's a huge value add. Lucas: Yes. The 'shield' function is underappreciated. A sponsor can run interference, especially in a crisis. If a project goes sideways, a sponsor can say 'Let me talk to the stakeholders' and frame it in a way that protects your reputation. That's something a mentor usually can't do because they don't have the positional power. Luna: So we're talking about three things: advocacy, connection, and protection. That's the sponsor job description. Lucas: Exactly. And the connection piece is also critical. Sponsors introduce you to other powerful people. They open doors. So if you're at a conference and your sponsor says 'Let me introduce you to our VP of Sales,' that's a signal to the VP that you're someone worth knowing. Luna: So how do you find a sponsor if you don't have one naturally? Especially if you're early in your career or in a more junior role. Lucas: Start with your manager. Not all managers are sponsors, but a good manager can become one. You want to be very clear about your career goals with your manager, so they know what you're aiming for. If they're supportive, they'll start advocating for you in leadership meetings. Luna: And if your manager isn't that person, look for someone two or three levels above who you interact with, even indirectly. Maybe you've worked on a project for them, or you've impressed them in a presentation. Lucas: Right. And you can also find sponsors outside your direct chain of command. For example, a senior leader from another department who saw your work on a cross-functional team. That kind of sponsor can sometimes be even more powerful because they're not your boss's boss, so they're not limited by the same politics. Luna: I've also heard that sponsorship is more common in certain industries—like finance and law—where partnership tracks are formalized. But in tech or creative fields, it's less structured. Lucas: That's true. In law firms, for example, sponsorship is often built into the system: a partner takes on a junior associate and actively pushes for their advancement. But in less hierarchical environments, you have to be more intentional. You might need to network laterally and upward to find someone who's willing to go to bat for you. Luna: So it's more work, but the payoff is huge. One number I remember is from a study by the Center for Talent Innovation: people with sponsors are 23% more likely to have asked for a promotion in the last two years. That's a big boost. Lucas: And the asking itself is important. Sponsors don't just advocate for you—they also encourage you to advocate for yourself. They give you the confidence to say 'I want that role.' Luna: So if you're listening today and you feel like you're stuck, maybe the issue isn't your skills or your network—it's that you don't have someone in the room when you're not in the room. Lucas: That's exactly the takeaway. Start thinking about who has the power to influence decisions about your future, and start building the kind of relationship that makes them want to use that power on your behalf. Luna: And if you need a concrete step: this week, identify one senior person whose work you respect, and ask for their perspective on a specific challenge you're facing. See where it goes. Lucas: Good call. That small ask can be the beginning of a sponsorship relationship. And as always, if you want to support the show, it's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. We appreciate everyone who does. Luna: Thanks for being here. We'll be back with another episode soon.