What is the difference between a mentor and a sponsor

Sponsorships personally benefit both parties involved. Sponsorships can be particularly beneficial for those who struggle to rise through the ranks of an organization, such as women or people of color. Sponsors will seek out high potential employees who show initiative, hard work, and determination to succeed. Demonstrate that you're a high performer by asking to be on projects that showcase your strongest skills.

Taking on extra voluntary roles in your organization, such as getting involved with an ERG , can also help you meet potential sponsors. However, the key is to differentiate yourself from your co-workers. Mentorships and sponsorships are both types of workplace relationships that can have a positive impact on your career.

Both are based on connection and focused on your career. Moreover, mentorship and sponsorship can be good for both people involved. Here are some of the similarities between mentoring and sponsoring:. It is interesting to know that a mentor may introduce you to a sponsor who has the authority and influence to move your career up to the next level.

There is no need for an either-or approach when it comes to mentorship and sponsorship in the workplace. Instead, both types of support can be beneficial at different times in your career. Mentors help build a career vision. He or she will put your name forward for opportunities that you have no way of knowing about.

When is sponsorship most important? At a junior level, there is a good chance for progressing just by being good at your job and acing job interviews. However, as you move up the ladder, or more accurately the pyramid, the number of jobs at the top shrink, and you have to have people advocating for you. There are four fundamental things that must be present for sponsorship to work: trust, honesty, open communication and commitment.

Trust needs to exist on both sides. Create an account to read 2 more. The main difference between the two is that mentorship is mostly about someone providing you with advice and feedback whereas sponsorship involves someone directly advocating for your because they believe in your ability and potential.

Mentorship is usually needed to build a foundation of trust before your relationship can evolve into a sponsorship. For that reason, sponsorship is more effective at promoting career advancement, though having the support of both a mentor and a sponsor is equally valuable. Sign up for. A weekly newsletter to help young professionals find their place in the working world and realize their personal and career goals. Sign Up. Thanks for subscribing,!

You can view our other newsletters or opt out at any time by managing your email preferences. Read more on Mentoring or related topics Career planning and Personal growth and transformation. To address that issue, I need to make it as clear as possible that I am a resource for career advancement. I need to be visible and approachable for anyone who might need some help with the direction of their career choices.

AS: I imagine there are some formalized sponsorship programs, but I am not aware of any. For me, sponsorship is a personal activity when one individual gets advice or help from another rather than a formal activity. However, embracing diversity simply for the sake of diversity itself is not beneficial and, in fact, can be counterproductive. If I am to be honest to the patients who seek care at my institution, then it is my responsibility to place the most qualified individuals in the role of clinician there, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, or any other non-performance-related descriptor.

Our mission statement is patient care, and patient care depends on the medical skills of the personnel in our department. In adding any new member to our medical staff, my primary focus has to be on identifying the best individual for the role. For example, a clinician who speaks both English and Spanish would be better able to elicit a history in a predominantly Spanish-speaking patient population, greatly enhancing their ability to deliver care.

Such an individual may be selected not because of their diversity but because their diversity makes them a better clinician and a better member of the department. However, if that same individual was unable to perform key resuscitation procedures, then their language skills would have no beneficial impact on patient outcomes. The advantage of their diversity to the department would be nullified by their lack of clinical performance.

In direct answer to your question, absolutely I look to encourage diversity in our department but never at the expense of medical quality. First, you must excel in your field—we are all doctors with type A personalities, so I know we all can excel.