How to Find the Person Who Can Help You Get Ahead at Work

Introduction

• Speaker: Carla Harris
• Discusses the importance of having a sponsor in your career.

The Aha Moment

• Year: 1988
• Context: First encounter with the roundtable process on Wall Street.
• Roundtable: A year-end evaluative process for ranking employees.

Realization of Meritocracy Myth

• Witnessed how subjective evaluations were.
• Observed the importance of someone advocating for you behind closed doors.
• Recognized the system is not purely meritocratic due to human subjectivity.

Identifying the Advocate: The Sponsor

• Sponsorship: Someone who argues on your behalf, spending their political and social capital.
• Distinguished from mentors, champions, and advocates.

Importance of a Sponsor

• All evaluative processes have human elements, hence subjectivity.
• A sponsor is crucial to secure favorable outcomes in a subjective evaluation.

How to Get a Sponsor

• Performance Currency: Earned by exceeding expectations. Raises visibility and can attract sponsors.
• Relationship Currency: Built through interactions and investments in relationships within your environment.

Characteristics of a Sponsor

• Must have a seat at the decision-making table.
• Needs exposure to your work.
• Must have significant influence or power.

Asking for Sponsorship

• Approach: Directly ask someone, highlighting your achievements and need for advocacy.
• Potential Responses:
  • Lack of exposure to your work.
  • Perceived lack of influence.
  • Personal dislike.

The Role of a Sponsor

• A sponsor is critical for career advancement.
• Unlike mentors, sponsors are essential for organizational ascension.

For Would-Be Sponsors

• Recognize your power and responsibility when invited to decision-making tables.
• Use your power for those deserving your support.

Conclusion

• Emphasizes the critical role of sponsors in career success.
• Encourages would-be sponsors to use their voice and power effectively.
• Ending with a call to action for vocal support of deserving talent.