We’ve talked a lot in the last two blog posts to people who are looking for sponsors (if you haven’t read them click here for in-depth information about sponsorship and here for how to find a sponsor), but this leadership confidential will be focused towards those who are looking to sponsor someone within their company.

Sponsorship IS Allyship, and being a good sponsor is essential for your protege to get ahead in their career.

As Carla Harris said, “Let me give a word to the would-be sponsors that are in the room. If you have been invited into the room, know that you have a seat at that table, and if you have a seat at the table, you have a responsibility to speak. Don't waste your power worrying about what people are going to say and whether or not they think you might be supporting someone just because they look like you. If somebody is worthy of your currency, spend it. One thing I have learned after several decades on Wall Street is the way to grow your power is to give it away, and your voice is at the heart.”

It may seem counterintuitive to think about growing your power by giving it away, but think about it this way. You can grow your social currency through building a reputation for helping others, so more people will want to work with you. As you build up opportunities for your protege, they will speak highly of you to others, and that will come back to help you in the long run. This allows you to gain a certain amount of power through reciprocity that others in your position who aren’t sponsors won’t have access to.

But what does this mean in terms of concrete actions?

According to Rosalind Chow from the Harvard Business Review, it looks like this:

Amplify your protege’s achievements and accomplishments, especially to those in positions of power. Endorse your protege’s work to people that can give them more opportunities or promotions, and you could be the reason your protege makes their next big career move.

- Action item: Next time a woman on your team receives an award or does an especially great job in a presentation, share a post congratulating them on LinkedIn or send a congratulatory company email.

Boosting can come in various forms, from writing a letter of recommendation to advocating for an employee who’s up for a big promotion. By advocating for the women on your team who have done superior work, you’re providing legitimacy to them and helping negate biases that the company may have.

- Action item: When an opportunity comes up in your company, try suggesting a woman from your team that you believe would excel. Or when you are in a meeting share “What I learned from Gaby is….”

Connecting with the women on your team through claiming an association with them allows the rest of your company - and oftentimes extends beyond the company - to see these women as valuable team members. This connection shows that you value their contributions, and if you’re in a position of power in your company and/or field, it shows the rest of your company/field that they have valuable contributions as well.

- Action item: A great first step towards connection is to open your network internally and externally to the organization to support the advancement of your progege’s goals. Connecting is about expanding your protege’s network, expanding the reach of their brand, and making sure the right people know the great work they’re doing.

Defend your team’s work. Oftentimes biases placed on women in the workplace make it challenging for women, especially women of color, to speak up in big meetings because their ideas aren’t listened to. Defending the ideas that you believe in will give the rest of the meeting participants pause, and will make them more likely to listen to the woman whose idea you defended in the future.

- Action item: Next time a woman on your team speaks up in a meeting and her idea is dismissed or she’s not heard, stand up for her by defending her work and giving her the opportunity to speak her idea. For example you can say “Gaby, is there a perspective you want to share?”

Another way to think about this:

Sponsorship alone isn’t the answer to racism and it doesn’t solve all of the problems in the workplace, but through being a sponsor you can help advance the career of your protege, bring deserving leadership to your workplace, and grow your own power.

“One thing I have learned after several decades on Wall Street is the way to grow your power is to give it away, and your voice is at the heart.” - Carla Harris

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Charlene Li and I went live on LinkedIn! We talked about “The Missing Piece of Disruptive Leadership is Allyship” and the disruptive force of Allyship and tools you can implement immediately to show up as an Ally that lead to increased employee engagement, productivity, creativity, and innovation! Watch it here.

Does your organization need Allyship is Leadership training? In my new program, learn how to close the gap between intention and action and about the impact that allyship can have. Contact me or email me at salima@unleashforward.com to learn more!