The importance of mentorship and sponsorship for women in technology

These are stunning statistics given the volumes of data showing the most gender-diverse companies outperform the least gender-diverse companies. In fact, data from McKinsey shows they are 48% more likely to outperform those lacking gender diversity.

For the most part, technology companies know this and want to do something about it. So how do we square this circle? A serially underutilised approach is mentorship and sponsorship. Done right, this can be the key to unlocking critical career transitions and overcoming the glass ceiling.

As an executive headhunter with a network of women leaders, and a dedicated women’s mentoring programme, this is something we know is crucially important. Mentoring helps women broach discussions about salary and progression, challenge biases and expectations with confidence, improve self-promotion and capitalise on their strengths.

Sponsorship is arguably even more important as a woman’s career progresses. While a mentor offers advice, a sponsor is an advocate – a role that essentially boils down to ‘putting in a good word’ to the right people. It is invaluable in providing opportunities to grow and develop. Research shows sponsorship accelerates career advancement considerably.

With men holding the majority of leadership roles in technology, both mentors and sponsors are likely to be male. While the gender doesn’t matter, their understanding of women’s behaviour does. Women are far more likely to undervalue their own skills and be self-depreciating over self-promoting. Across all levels, women tend to rely on recognition for their delivery rather than having to advertise it. A good mentor will know this and help draw out a person’s strengths, giving them the confidence to establish their abilities and achievements.

Mentoring also works in the context of significant discussion points or transitions. For those settling into a new role or organisation, a mentor can help navigate the culture, the politics, and develop relationships. The benefits extend beyond just those for the mentee. New hires from diverse backgrounds will quit within one month if they don’t feel like they belong in their new company. A mentor can therefore go a long way in retaining top talent. They can also be pivotal simply as a ‘voice in the room’ helping provide a different perspective about career progression and salary increases in conversations between a mentee and their line manager.

Sponsorship also has multiple benefits. Simply knowing someone ‘is in your corner’, that a senior leader has your back, is a huge confidence boost for women who can feel underrepresented. Women are also more likely to suffer from imposter syndrome than their male counterparts.

A good sponsor will help identify ways of stepping up, letting them know of opportunities as they become available. They will connect them with the right people, outline the skills and training they might need, and coach them on building their profile. This all serves to unlock an employee’s true potential, and in return the business reaps the benefits of greater diversity in senior positions.

Finding a mentor or a sponsor is quite simple, and we’ve found most leaders and organisations are open to the idea, even where no formal scheme exists. We advise people to approach someone they admire. They can be someone in the same company, or external. Ideally this is someone who has been successful at what a mentee wants to learn. Unless that person is already mentoring several people or they feel like they’re the wrong person for that mentee, there’s unlikely to be resistance. The prospect of being considered good enough to be a mentor is flattering for most leaders and they’ll jump at the opportunity.

A mentee can have more than one mentor but more than three is unnecessary. The most successful mentormentee relationships are ones where the mentee has driven the agenda and knows what they want from the mentoring. While the mentee should be clear about what they want, the mentor should be responsible for the arrangement itself, which includes structuring the sessions on things like performance reviews, delegating tasks or building skills in negotiating or public speaking.

Finally, the act of asking a senior staff member in an organisation to be a mentor can be an excellent way to develop a sponsor. Most leaders want to help others succeed, especially if they know there’s a combination of talent and a desire to progress. There’s no better way of showcasing this than in a relationship with a mentor.

Caroline Sands is a partner and head of the CIO & technology officers practice at global executive search firm Odgers Berndtson. She has over 15 years’ experience in executive level technology appointments and connecting high-performing women leaders with businesses of all shapes and sizes.

E: caroline.sands@odgersberndtson.com www.odgersberndtson.com

Kate Bendix interviews fellow MDHUB Member – Clare Wilkinson of Hot Horse Ltd