In the next section of her sponsorship series, Clarele Mortimer outlines why a sponsor could be key to your career development.

1. W H Y Y O U N E E D A
S P O N S O R
T H E S P O N S O R S H I P
S E R I E S :
by Clarele Mortimer

2. As outlined in my previous post,
sponsorship can be key to workplace
advancement, especially for women.
Realizing the value in acquiring
sponsorship is the first step to
reaping the benefits.

3. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or work for a larger
company, sponsorship can impact the trajectory of
your career.
Since 2010, the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI) has
tracked the “sponsor effect” via four comprehensive
U.S.-based and global studies. The results clearly
indicate that sponsorship — not mentorship — is the
means of power transfer in the workplace, helping
high performers to advance.

4. When a leader in your workplace believes in your talent and
potential, they can essentially open doors for you. When
push comes to shove, you need someone to advocate for you
when you’re not in the room. A good sponsor takes on this
role, which can provide opportunities for advancement.

5. Even several corporations are realizing the overall
value of sponsorship. For example, Intel, Cisco,
Morgan Stanley and Deloitte all recently launched
programs that connect senior leaders with high-
potential employees. The sponsorship program at
American Express has had incredible success, with
10/20 female participants earning a higher role
within a year.
To stay ahead in your field, sponsorship is one
trend you should not ignore.

6. C O N S E Q U E N C E S O F
L A C K I N G S P O N S O R S H I P
If you lack a sponsor in your workplace, it could negatively
impact the progression of your career. It’s no secret that women
aren’t equally represented in leadership positions. This is
partially because of exclusion form the most influential
networks of an organization. Sponsorship is an important factor
in breaking through that glass ceiling.

7. 70% of men and 68% of
women with sponsorship
felt they were progressing
through the ranks at a
satisfactory pace, while
only 57% of their
unsponsored peers felt
the same way.
From the perspective of
working moms, 85% felt
sponsorship was positively
impacting their career
trajectory.
These numbers indicate that those without
sponsorship are having greater difficulty
advancing in their careers.
W H A T I T
M E A N S . . .
C T I ' S R E S E A R C H I N D I C A T E D
T H A T . . .

8. Now that you know the
value of sponsorship for
your career, you’re
probably curious about
steps you should take to
attract an executive
sponsor.
The next post in the my
Sponsorship Series will
focus on earning
sponsorship, including
the behaviors and skills
you should develop
throughout the course of
your career.
Stay tuned!