Sponsorship

There’s a lot of talk in leadership circles about coaching and mentoring, and rightly so. Coaching helps people refine their skills. Mentoring provides the benefit of experience and guidance. But there is a third, often overlooked ingredient that plays a crucial role in career progression, which is sponsorship.

Unlike coaching or mentoring, sponsorship isn’t about advice or feedback. It’s about action. It’s when someone with influence doesn’t just believe in your potential but actively puts their reputation on the line for you. They advocate for you behind closed doors. They put your name forward when opportunities come up. They help you get into the room when you wouldn’t otherwise have access.

I’ve seen this really make all the difference. Coaching helps someone improve in their role. Mentoring helps them think longer-term and build context. But sponsorship accelerates growth. It removes barriers. It says: “I believe this person can do more and I’m willing to stake my reputation on it.”

That is no small thing.

It’s not about formality. You don’t need a company sponsorship program or a specific title to sponsor someone. You just need intent and the willingness to seek out and create opportunities, but also to give space to stretch. That might mean handing them a major presentation, letting them run a critical meeting, introducing them to key decision-makers, backing their ideas in a room full of sceptics, and, most importantly, standing with them when things don’t go to plan.

When I think back on my career so far, the moments where I grew the most weren’t just about learning new skills; they were when someone went out of their way to give me a chance that I might not have given myself. And I’ve seen the same in others: they step up, they grow faster than they imagined, and they bring that confidence back into the team. It’s not just good for the individual - it strengthens the entire organisation by building a pipeline of capable, confident leaders.

If you’re in a leadership position, sponsorship is the multiplier effect you can offer. It’s not always comfortable, especially when it means taking a calculated risk on someone’s readiness, but it’s one of the most impactful, career-defining things you can do for another person.

So ask yourself: who are you championing when they’re not in the room? Who are you trusting with opportunities that matter? Who are you backing not just with encouragement, but with action?

Because building strong, high-performing teams is good leadership. But helping people grow and go beyond the role they’re in today? That’s how you leave a long lasting positive mark on their career, and on yours.