For years, professionals have been told that mentorship is the key to career success. From early career coaching to executive leadership advice, mentorship is often seen as a necessary stepping stone for professional growth.
But mentorship alone isn’t enough.
Despite widespread mentorship programs in organizations, women, people of color, and other underrepresented professionals continue to face barriers to advancement. Why? Because mentorship, while valuable, doesn’t always translate into tangible career opportunities.
Research shows that employees with sponsors are 23-30% more likely to be promoted than those who only have mentors.
What’s missing is sponsorship.
Mentorship vs. Sponsorship: What’s the Difference?
Both mentorship and sponsorship play important roles in professional development, but they are not the same.
Mentorship focuses on guidance, advice, and career development. A mentor helps someone navigate workplace challenges, learn new skills, and build confidence.
Sponsorship focuses on advocacy, opportunity, and career advancement. A sponsor actively champions their protégé, speaking their name in rooms they’re not in, advocating for promotions, and opening doors to leadership opportunities.
A mentor helps you prepare for the big game, but a sponsor gets you off the bench and onto the field.
Why Mentorship Alone Falls Short
Most companies invest heavily in mentorship programs, yet they still struggle to increase diversity in leadership roles.
That’s because mentorship, while great for skill-building, doesn’t necessarily lead to career movement. Employees need someone who will actively advocate for them—not just give advice.
For underrepresented professionals, sponsorship is especially critical. Without sponsorship, they may remain unseen by decision-makers, even if they’re highly qualified.
The result is a career bottleneck where employees receive plenty of advice but few real opportunities.
What’s Next?
So, how do companies bridge the gap between mentorship and sponsorship?
The key is intentionality—creating structured sponsorship programs that help underrepresented employees access leadership opportunities.
If your organization is looking to take the next step, we’ve put together a resource outlining the key differences between mentorship and sponsorship:
By making sponsorship a priority, organizations can build stronger leadership pipelines, retain top talent, and create more equitable career opportunities. It’s time to move beyond mentorship and take action.
Looking to learn more about how your organization can build a sponsorship program? Contact us today!
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