Alone, you can go fast, but together, you can go far.
Except in one’s career, together you can go both fast and far. Most people know that having a mentor is essential for guidance and support. Some people aim to have sponsors instead. However, the most beneficial thing for your career is to have both – a mentor and a sponsor, the throuple you need to be in to make the best career decisions.
What’s the difference between a mentor and a sponsor?
A sponsor is vested in your success and shares aligned incentives with you. This person may be your manager or a senior person in your organization who is passionate about advocating for you because your work directly contributes to their success. They act as your career champion, guiding you to navigate the company and ensuring you receive the recognition you deserve further motivating you to stay and continue to work with them. A great sponsor also cares for your well-being by encouraging you to take time off, ensuring that your voice is heard and respected, and helping you to receive the professional development attention you need.
A mentor is a person who has no personal gain from your success or failure other than their care and concern for you. This enables them to offer honest advice and consider your life as a whole when helping you make decisions that consider factors beyond your professional life. Although mentors may not be involved in the decision-making process regarding your career, they can still be instrumental in making new contacts, exploring different options, and even making career changes.
A sponsor can take on the role of a mentor when you decide to change your career path or when the sponsor realizes that you need to grow in a different direction. They may want to support you in your new endeavors even if they no longer have anything to gain.
Why do you need to distinguish the two roles?
It’s essential to understand the incentives and interests of your sponsor to make the right decisions for your career. A sponsor is likely biased towards their interests, which means they’re inclined towards giving you advice that will align with your current job position instead of providing objective career advice that may lead you to a better long-term career path. Although a sponsor can help you get promoted within your current company, they might discourage you from applying to other companies that could offer you better opportunities. It’s a common mistake to realize too late that your sponsor has been giving you advice that only benefits you in your current role rather than your long-term career goals. It’s essential to understand that a sponsor’s role is to help you in your current job, and their advice might not be suitable for you if you’re looking for different career paths.
A fourth person in the dynamic
In certain job positions, you may come across evaluators. These individuals contribute to your evaluations but are not your mentors or sponsors. This is typically the case in professional service industries such as law firms and consulting, where associates work with multiple managers throughout the year who provide feedback on their performance. Alternatively, you may be working in a matrixed environment where evaluators are asked to give feedback on your work. This is an important distinction because although these individuals are not your managers, their opinions hold weight, and having them speak positively of you can help your sponsors and managers advocate for you.