Want a Promotion? Build These 3 Key Relationships

I’ve talked to countless professional women who are frustrated that they aren’t getting ahead in their careers, yet they are missing some of the foundational elements to success. No one has ever achieved anything great alone, and if women haven’t created the right relationships, then regardless of how hard they work, their efforts will be in vain.

Yes, you need the support of your family and friends to get ahead, but you also need sponsors, mentors, and at a particular stage, a coach. There are distinct differences between sponsors, mentors, and coaches, and having served as all three for nearly 20 years and leaning on them during my career, I’d like to offer this guidance and urge you to consider creating a team to maximize your potential.

According to a McKinsey report, 90 percent of executive-level women at 60 major corporations attribute their success to having significant sponsorship. However, African American women report they find it difficult to win sponsorship, which plays a major role in the lack of representation in the C-suite.

A SPONSOR is someone, usually within your organization or industry, who sees your potential and can open up doors for you and expose you to opportunities you cannot do alone. They can deem you a “high potential” and/or offer opportunities to keep you promotable.

A sponsor will also provide you with top cover if you are promoted into a position that you have the capacity to excel in, but may be partially unqualified for (lacking technical skills). A sponsor will work to ensure you are protected during that period of growth.

The relationship with a sponsor is a trusted one, and if they take a chance to open a door for you, you have to do the work to prove them right. Sponsors can also be silent, and you may not know there is someone in the background guiding your career.

A sponsor can also serve as a mentor, but the biggest difference is being able to speak on your behalf and/or protect you when necessary. Having a person in a higher position who can say great things about you and place your name in a hat to be considered for opportunities is highly beneficial to you, excelling in your career.

A MENTOR is someone who has the results you desire and they are willing to offer guidance on how to be successful. They’ve walked the road that you are on and have been there, done that. They have the roadmap to success and will offer insight on the obstacles, hurdles, and booby traps and how to stop going in circles. They can also advise on opportunities you would be a great fit for.

I had 15 mentors and mentored nearly 70 people in my previous career. Having so many mentees, finding ways to maximize my time and efforts was important. Initially, I would assign them a task or advise them on how to solve a problem. If they took immediate action and told me the result of what I suggested, we would keep the relationship. I would no longer advise if they didn’t act and just wanted to complain.

The relationship with a mentor is also a trusted one; either you choose a mentor, or they choose you. A mentor will inspire you to be a greater version of yourself. They see your potential and will work with you to bring it out, using themselves as a mirror.

When you mentor others, be careful with your time and only invest it in those who deserve it, rather than those who want it. When choosing a mentor, make sure they have the results you desire. If they don’t have the desired results, can they advise you on getting to the next level? Are you willing to place your career in the hands of an experienced person or someone who merely goes on hunches or what they’ve read?

A COACH unlocks your hidden potential by asking you questions to reach your desired goal. A coach is on Team You and is a neutral, trusted, and non-judgmental person with whom you can share your innermost thoughts. A coach creates a secure space for you to work through your greatest fears, obstacles, and challenges. They will ask questions to peel back the layers of your story and find the answers you have within you.

A coach doesn’t guide you to their desired end, but asks questions to get you to where you want to be. Depending on the background and expertise of your coach, they can assist you with working through personnel issues, personal challenges, work-life, prioritizing family, shifting careers, maintaining your health, overcoming obstacles, and a whole host of issues.

Coaches span from health, transformational, success, business, career, personal, etc. Again, they are for Team You and should be someone that you feel comfortable with and can grow with. If you aren’t growing or don’t feel safe sharing your inner thoughts with your coach, consider getting another one.

I believe being a LEADER is the greatest gift a person can offer mankind. However, leadership is tough and continues to get harder with each level of success obtained. If you want to be a truly effective, well-balanced and SANE leader, consider building a team with a sponsor, mentor, and coach.

How have sponsors, mentors, and coaches been helpful to you in your career? What advice do you have for women on how to build these relationships?

*Need a deeper explanation? Watch the video I created on this topic HERE

**Get the Pay Raise Playbook and learn how to create a Personal Board of Advisors. Get it HERE