When it comes to their career development, aspiring leaders hear a lot about the importance of finding the right mentor. But securing another professional relationship may help them advance even further, faster: sponsorship.
While a mentor has knowledge and will share it with you, a sponsor has power and will use it for you. Sponsors talk you up behind closed doors, helping you gain visibility and access to key opportunities. With more at stake, sponsorships tend to be harder to secure than mentorships—but it’s a relationship well worth the effort to cultivate.
Why sponsors matter
“A sponsor is vouching for you,” said board member, advisor, and The ELC member Rita Khan in The ELC webinar titled “The Sponsorship Gap” on May 12, 2026. “If they’re putting their name out there, there’s a risk to them. You have to be able to deliver,” said Khan, who held senior leadership roles at UnitedHealthcare, Mayo Clinic, and major consumer brands, including Target, Best Buy, and Macy’s.
Knowledge is power—and understanding you need a sponsor is a critical first step toward getting one. “Many professionals learn far too late … [that] hard work alone does not guarantee visibility,” said Sherhara Burrell, a communications advisor who facilitated The ELC sponsorship webinar. Burrell, Khan, and other The ELC experts offered the following tips for how professionals can become more sponsorable.
Think strategically and specifically
Khan came to realize the importance of sponsorship when she was ready to take on a director role. She was working in the retail industry at the time, and her company was undergoing significant restructuring. Khan weathered the chaos by focusing on doing her job well. As important as that was, it isn’t what vaulted her to the next level.
Rather, her advancement came after she took the time to onboard a new manager, giving him a clear and candid assessment of the business. The manager was so impressed by her strategic appraisal that he talked her up to others in the organization, shifting into the role of sponsor.
The professional payoff was huge: “They didn’t just keep me,” Khan said. “They created a position for me.”
Khan also advises approaching potential sponsors with a specific ask. Avoid generalities like “I want to add value” or “I’m a hard worker.” Instead, make your ambition explicitly known, whether you’re looking to become a first-time manager or transition into engineering. “Get a domain so your sponsors can really help and work for you,” Khan emphasized.
Know what you want to get—and give
It’s also a good idea to assess what you need most from a sponsor, so you can articulate that during your initial conversations. The ELC’s leadership development training offers the following A,B,C,D framework for understanding sponsors’ various functions:
Amplifiers share their protégés’ accomplishments with others to enhance an audience’s positive impressions of them.
Boosters stake some portion of their reputation on an implicit guarantee about the protégé’s future success.
Connectors actively facilitate new relationships, expanding a protégé’s network.
Defenders work to change the minds of people who dislike or dismiss the protégé.
Just be sure you also think through how you can help your sponsor. Can you enrich their ability to have an impact? What insights or connections can you offer? “Sponsorship is a bidirectional relationship,” Khan said.
Embrace difference
In addition, “make sure your sponsors are different from you, whether it’s different demographics, or maybe cross-departmental or cross-industry (sponsors),” Khan said. “Having a robust and diverse group of people to sponsor you helps with that advocacy.”
Build your brand
Khan also emphasized the importance of visibility, advising people to turn their camera on during telecons and show up for—or even initiate—crucial conversations with those in senior roles. Demonstrate you follow through on projects, especially in difficult times, and advance the business, Khan said. “A good brand is a consistent brand with integrity,” she added. “It’s hard to sponsor people if you can’t put a face to a name.”
