Navigating Sponsorship Relationships (with Dr. Rosalind Chow)

Everyone needs a sponsor in their corner. But knowing the difference between mentorship and sponsorship relationships is the key to success. Dr. Rosalind Chow is in  guest chair and breaks down what sponsorship relationships are and aren't and how to best take advantage of them.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The difference between mentorship and sponsorship relationships,
• The structure of sponsorship/protègè relationships,
• The importance of trust in both mentorship and sponsorship relationships,
• How sponsorship uniquely impacts people of color,
• Strategies for navigating the negative effects of self promotion, and
• How to turn a mentor into a sponsor.

About Dr. Rosalind Chow

Rosalind Chow is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior and Theory at Carnegie Mellon University, where she studies the power of social hierarchy and its impact on diversity and inclusion efforts in organizations.

Additional/Resources/Things Mentioned in This Episode:

• Chow, R. M., & Knowles, E. D. (2015). Taking race of the table: Agenda setting and support for color-blind public policy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42(1), 1–15.
• Chow, R. M., Phillips, L. T., Lowery, B. S., & Unzeueta, M. M. (2021, June 8). Fighting backlash to racial equity efforts.  MITSloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/fighting-backlash-to-racial-equity-efforts/?og=Home%20Editors%20Picks
• Chow, R. (2021, June 30). Don't just mentor women and people of color. Sponsor Them. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/06/dont-just-mentor-women-and-people-of-color-sponsor-them