Effective Sponsorship Across Difference (for Protégés)

An organization’s ability to attract and keep great talent depends on its ability to cultivate diverse people on every level of the company. For capable individuals to excel within any organization, it requires hard work and dedication, but it also takes opportunity, relationships, and investment in those individuals by more senior leaders. This course from Vernā Myers, teaches skills for sponsoring across difference for protégés. Vernā defines the role of sponsors and outlines how protégés can help make the sponsor-protégé relationship work. She describes three successful approaches for protégés: Be open to commonalities and differences; take responsibility for your career; and be aware of biases—yours, your sponsor's, and others'. Using stories and examples, she describes types of biases, specifically internalized bias, and how to counter them. She shares concrete tips that protégés can follow to be effective in cross-difference relationships in their organizations.