sponsor

make flexible scheduling work for everyone

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businesswoman holding a clockyour protégée needs you to have her back.

by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

a talented, ambitious woman who works less than full time or takes extended family leave is extremely vulnerable to being derailed professionally.

whether because she is “out of sight/out of mind,” or because people doubt her commitment, she may be disregarded for promotions or high-profile projects.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: your protégée needs your feedback |  9 ways to promote your protégée to others | 8 ways to help your protégée focus on career opportunities | how to establish a sponsor-protégée relationship | women must see politics as leadership to get ahead | mommy bias persists | different standards, double binds challenge women | 5 ways gender bias plays out at cpa firms | men advance 2 to 1 over women without sponsors | 18 ways sponsors can help their protegees | beyond mentoring: why sponsoring women for leadership matters

a sponsor can ensure that she has access to those opportunities and support when she accepts them. he can make the difference between this woman staying on track and ascending to top leadership posts or leaving the company for another job.

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9 ways to promote your protégée to others

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businesswoman being applauded by peersgood news: you don’t have to do it alone.

by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

promoting your protégée to others is an important part of sponsorship.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: 8 ways to help your protégée focus on career opportunities | how to start an effective sponsorship … and follow through | 3 ways to initiate informal sponsorship | how to establish a sponsor-protégée relationship | 3 roadblocks to women and men working together well | different standards, double binds challenge women | 5 ways gender bias plays out at cpa firms | 3 reasons why men don’t pick women protégées | men advance 2 to 1 over women without sponsors | 18 ways sponsors can help their protegees | beyond mentoring: why sponsoring women for leadership matters

here are nine concrete steps: read more →

8 ways to help your protégée focus on career opportunities

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man showing woman something on laptop computerbeware of gender traps.

by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

once you have identified a woman to sponsor and determined that you click, you may be wondering how to get started.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: how to start an effective sponsorship … and follow through | 3 ways to initiate informal sponsorship | how to establish a sponsor-protégée relationship | women must see politics as leadership to get ahead | different standards, double binds challenge women | 5 ways gender bias plays out at cpa firms | 3 reasons why men don’t pick women protégées | men advance 2 to 1 over women without sponsors | 18 ways sponsors can help their protegees | beyond mentoring: why sponsoring women for leadership matters

here are some concrete steps to take: read more →

how to start an effective sponsorship … and follow through

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woman in white office meeting with man17 specific action steps you should take.

by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

when you sponsor a woman, there are many steps that you can take to ensure that the relationship is productive and achieves its objectives.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: 3 ways to initiate informal sponsorship | how to establish a sponsor-protégée relationship | 3 roadblocks to women and men working together well | fear of sex and rumors inhibits sponsorship | why women resist networking and powerful role models | women must see politics as leadership to get ahead | mommy bias persists | different standards, double binds challenge women | 5 ways gender bias plays out at cpa firms

here are some tips for getting off to a strong start and following through effectively, especially by focusing on career opportunities and promoting your protégée to others. read more →

3 ways to initiate informal sponsorship

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woman and man meeting in an officeand three ways to start the conversation.

by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

most sponsorship occurs informally, without any structured or programmatic context. informal sponsor-protégée relationships usually start in one of three ways.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: how to establish a sponsor-protégée relationship | 3 roadblocks to women and men working together well | fear of sex and rumors inhibits sponsorship | men advance 2 to 1 over women without sponsors | 18 ways sponsors can help their protegees | the 6 market advantages of women-led firms | beyond mentoring: why sponsoring women for leadership matters

the most common way is when a senior manager or partner identifies someone as a star performer, believes that she has what it takes to succeed, and wants to make that success happen. the sponsor recognizes her talent and potential while they work together or when he observes her at work and is impressed by her ability. as the two work together their relationship grows.

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fears of sexual innuendo and office gossip block talent development

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career penalties for romance are greater for junior women than senior men.

image of a female executive explaining something to her boss in office.by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

a close work relationship between a man and a woman can generate sexual tensions in one or both of them.

when the man is older and powerful and the woman is young and ambitious, the potential for complications is even greater.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: why women resist networking and powerful role models | women must see politics as leadership to get ahead | mommy bias persists | 5 ways gender bias plays out at cpa firms | 3 reasons why men don’t pick women protégées | 18 ways sponsors can help their protegees | the 6 market advantages of women-led firms | beyond mentoring: why sponsoring women for leadership matters

even when the relationship is strictly business focused, it can be the subject of rumors, gossip and speculation among coworkers, and it can arouse feelings of jealousy and resentment in the sponsor’s wife.

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3 reasons why men don’t pick women protégées

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woman and man working with calculatorwhen leadership models are male, sometimes female candidates go unrecognized.

by ida o. abbott
sponsoring women: what men need to know

let’s assume a powerful man works with two junior colleagues, a man and a woman, who are both equally talented, motivated and superbly skilled performers. according to what we know from research and experience, that powerful man is more likely to sponsor the man than the woman.

more on sponsoring women for leadership: men advance 2 to 1 over women without sponsors | 18 ways sponsors can help their protegees | the 6 market advantages of women-led firms | beyond mentoring: why sponsoring women for leadership matters read more →