What Happens If Your Sponsor Leaves the Company?
By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)
The past few weeks have seen a spate of high profile departures from top companies, as senior leaders have left big jobs for greener pastures (or perhaps under less ideal circumstances). In an economic environment like this, where budgets are being cut regularly and everyone is doing more with less, job security is top of mind. Even high performing individuals need to be sure they have access to the unseen network of power within their organization, to have a sponsor advocating for them behind the scenes.
Late last year, Catalyst published groundbreaking research on the subject, explaining how sponsorship is key to narrowing the gender pay gap. Shortly thereafter, the Center for Work Life Policy followed suit, with research showing how sponsorship can help keep women in the pipeline to the top, and clarifying the two-way relationship between a sponsor and a protege.
In the months following, we’ve published advice on why you need a sponsor, how to find a sponsor, how to be a sponsor – you might call 2011 the year of the sponsor. But one question remains – what if you lose your sponsor?
Build Sponsorship Relationships with More than One Person
Experts have pointed out again and again that the sponsorship-protege relationship is reciprocal. If you’re someone’s protege, that means you’re someone they can depend on to back them up. They can count on you to be loyal and come through for them. It’s a relationship built on trust and power. But what happens if your most powerful ally leaves the company?
“In our research, many women mentioned the importance of cultivating multiple sponsors for just that reason,” said Jennifer Kohler, Director of Advisory Services at Catalyst, and co-author of the organization’s report on the value of sponsorship, “Sponsoring Women to Success.”
Proteges shouldn’t consider that relationship finished, though, she continued. “Of course if that sponsor leaves, they can always be a mentor. But they lose that ability to provide career opportunities within the company. Having more than one sponsor is a critical safety net.”
And if someone powerful is serving as your sponsor, that means you’re likely a high performer with a lot going for you. “Being that the sponsorship relationship entails active advocacy that is earned, high performers are likely to earn more than one sponsor,” she added.
Linked Relationships
But let’s say your sponsor leaves the company under less desirable circumstances. You’ve spent months or years cultivating a relationship, and your name is firmly linked with the guy or gal who just got the boot. Will their departure hurt you?
Probably not, says Kohler. “Sponsors and proteges should always keep in mind that their reputations are linked, so it could reflect negatively if a sponsor leaves under negative circumstances, but that isn’t the norm,” she emphasized.
Again, Kohler explained, this is where having multiple sponsors could be a benefit. With a link to more reputations, yours is less likely to be impacted if a sponsor leaves. Additionally, she said, “It’s important to have sponsors that represent different points of view – like a man if you’re a woman, or someone in a different geography if your company is a multinational. It widens the net of opportunities for which a protege is going to be considered.”
Additionally, due to the nature of the sponsor-protege relationship, if a senior leader is planning to leave the company, or senses his or her time has come, they will likely let their protege know.
“It’s a relationship based on communication, trust, and honesty,” Kohler explained.
And it’s about connections. Gaining one sponsor is one key to building more sponsorship relationships. When someone powerful opens doors for you, it’s your responsibility to use those introductions to build your own network. She explained, “Because sponsorship is performance-based, if it has happened before, it’s likely to happen again. Sponsorship really offers proteges visibility – it’s really up to the protege to maximize those advantages and connections provided by the sponsor.”
Kohler added, “The number one thing is to cultivate multiple sponsors from the start. You’ll have a bigger support base if that sponsor leaves, and continued consistent endorsement widens your net of opportunities.”
