Profs. Stefan Gröschl, Patricia Gabaldon, Tobias Hahn, and Elisabeth K. Kelan’s paper on The Emergence and Effects of Sponsors for Women Leaders addresses this persistent puzzle in gender and leadership research.

According to the authors, one of the most decisive yet insufficiently understood mechanisms behind women’s advancement is career sponsorship. Sponsorship is not a vague form of encouragement or general support. It is a specific career intervention in which a senior, influential person uses personal and organizational capital to advocate for a junior colleague and place them into roles that increase their visibility and promotability.

Separating the Sponsors from the Mentors

Early in their research, the authors separate sponsorship from mentoring, Often, organizations treat sponsorship and mentoring as interchangeable. Mentoring typically supports organizational socialization and development by offering advice, feedback, and encouragement. Mentors can be found at multiple levels and are not necessarily in positions of power.

Read more at: https://www.forbesindia.com/article/thought-leadership/essec-business-school/women-in-leadership-and-the-power-of-sponsors/2996520/1