The Advisor, Mentor and Sponsor Have Them All

Who is Kevin

Advisor Someone who can facilitate introductions. You can share discreet career goals. Mentor Someone you can trust to share your career goals. You can share ‘the good’, ‘the bad’ and ‘the ugly’. Sponsor Someone who will be your champion. You can share ‘the good’, ‘the good’, and ‘the good’. The Advisor, Mentor and Sponsor – Have Them All

Advisor Characteristics of an Advisor An Advisor is someone who has the skills or experience to give you good, strong advice This should be someone you admire and you believe they have the skills, experience and a network that can be useful to you and from which you can learn. An Advisor is someone you turn to for discrete advice. Questions Questions not to ask an advisor: Their advice on whether or not you are suited for a job How a position fits your future career plan Question you would ask an Advisor: How to approach a particular assignment you’ve received How to make an upcoming presentation the most effective Advise on the best way to approach a colleague they may know An introduction to someone you want to have in your professional or personal network. Key Points An Advisory relationship can be internal or external You don’t always have to formally engage someone to be an advisor – make the relationship progress a bit before giving a title to the relationship An Advisory can be a good candidate for a Mentor An Advisor relationship is often informal Don’t reveal to you Advisor that the position you are interested in is a stepping stone to something else you may want to do.

Mentor Characteristics of a Mentor A mentor is someone you rely upon to give you good, tailored developmental career advice A mentor should be someone you can trust A mentor is someone you can tell “the good, the bad, the ugly” facts about your career. Someone who will give you the honest and unequivocal “good, bad, and ugly” feedback about your performance, your strategies or behavior. Your mentor has to be someone you feel comfortable sharing your vulnerabilities with. Someone you can tell all the details of a terrible career mistake. Questions Questions for a Mentor: Their advice on whether or not you are suited for a job How a position fits your future career plan Questions about a Mentor: Does a mentor have to work for the same organization I do? What if my mentor betrays my trust and tells my boss something that I asked them to hold in confidence? Can I have more than one mentor? What happens when a mentoring relationship goes wrong or doesn’t work? Can I “fire” a mentor? Key Points The best time to get a mentor or a sponsor is when you are just entering an organization. A mentor should be supportive of your professional development and provides you with the necessary tools to help you to improve you skills. Someone who gives you advice that augments your business learning and helps you to identify and navigate the politics of your environment. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing all the dimensions of what going on in your job with this person then they should not be your mentor – consider them being your advisor.

Mentor Continued Some Common TechniquesType of Mentors This is someone who is currently in the trade/profession you are entering. They know the trends, important changes and new practices that you should know to stay at the top of your career. Profession or Trade Mentor This is someone who doesn't just focus on the profession. This mentor will be able to give insight on the industry as a whole. Industry Mentor An organization mentor can clarify missions and strategies, and give clarity when needed. Organization Mentor HarvestingAccompanyingSowingCatalyzingShowing

Sponsor Characteristics of a Sponsor You must choose a sponsor who has a position of power at the decision-making table Your sponsor’s role is to make sure that the person who loses is not you when you are up against others for a promotion, an increase in salary or new assignment. Your sponsor must be willing to expend some of their social and political capital on your behalf. Your sponsor should be your boss, but if he/she does not have a seat at the table, then you need to have a strong relationship with someone from your functional area who does. Questions Does your sponsor has a position of power at the decision-making table. Is your sponsor willing to expend some of their capital on your behalf. More important, ask “If my sponsor helps me to obtain my objective what’s in it for them. Key Points The most important relationship you can have in your professional life is a sponsor. In every critical decision about your career- promotions, compensation, important assignments – someone has to carry your paper into the room.

Have Them All! Advisor, Mentor and Sponsor are all very important to your career development and growth, so have them all Key takeaways: An Advisor is someone who can answer you discrete career questions, but not necessarily in the context of your broader career goals A Mentor is someone who can answer your discrete career questions and who can give you specific tailored career advice. A Sponsor is someone who will use their internal political and social capital to move your career forward within an organization.

Fun Facts About Mentoring Mentoring in Europe has existed since at least Ancient Greek times. Since the 1970s it has spread in the United States of America mainly in training contexts, [3] with important historical links to the movement advancing workplace equity for women and minorities, [4] and it has been described as "an innovation in American management".Ancient GreekUnited States of America [3] [4] Multiple Mentors A new and upcoming trend is having multiple mentors. This can be helpful because we can all learn from each other. Having more than one mentor will widen the knowledge of the person being mentored. There are different mentors who may have different strengths. Reverse Mentoring: This not so obvious benefit of mentoring is incredibly important. The younger generations can help the older generations to expand and grow towards current trends. Everyone has something to bring to the table, this creates a two way street within companies where younger employees can see the larger picture, and senior employees can see things from a different point of view. A Harvard Business Review survey of 1,250 for example, showed that most had been mentored or sponsored and that those who received such assistance reported higher income, a better education, a quicker path to achievement, and more job satisfaction than those who did not. [ [

References Expect To Win – 10 Proven strategies for thriving in the workplace, by Carla A. Harris Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor: The New Way to Fast-Track Your Career Paperback – September 10, 2013 by Sylvia Ann HewlettSylvia Ann Hewlett