Why sponsoring is key to developing women at work

Mentoring is one thing, but sponsorship takes it to a different level, writes Roxanne Calder.

A quote from The New York Times about women’s career success has remained embedded in my mind, “Mentors are good. Sponsors are better.” It’s simple, and I love it.

Women need mentorship, and I strongly advocate for women to seek out not only women but also men as mentors. Fiona Wood, Nagi Maehashi, and Leila McKinnon all speak candidly about the importance of male mentors and their influences in their lives.

Leila shared how mentors were seen differently when she was coming through: “You didn’t have them so much, and it was not as formal as now. Peter Harvey was someone I really looked up to and spoke about work with a great deal.” She reminisces on how fortunate she was to have that relationship and how much of an influence he had on her.

Fiona cuts straight through. For those who mentor, “respecting potential is vitally important”. It seems the thread of identifying talent and seeing someone’s potential is at the core. Philip Kearns is actively involved in the Minerva Network, a not-for-profit organisation supporting professional sportswomen. He said: “I’ve been around women athletes, and I see the potential they have, what they can take with them to the business environment, and I want to help.” It was the same when I was coming through and given opportunities, so I’m trying to do that for female athletes as well now.

Sponsorship involves a more active role in advocating for the mentee’s promotions and opportunities. This is especially so for employment prospects that might otherwise be out of reach. While a mentor provides advice and feedback, a sponsor can advocate on behalf of the person by leveraging their influence in the organisation, providing visibility, opening their network, or making warm introductions. It’s a different level of “membership”.

Sheryl Sandberg often speaks about the men who sponsored her, helping her climb the ranks in her career. Their advocacy opened doors that might have been closed due to bias. There are no ifs or buts about it: sponsorship makes a dramatic impact on career and earning advancements. This is a key area where men can make a difference. We appreciate the advice you give us, and we need it, but what we truly require is someone to open the door with a genuine invitation and endorsement.

Walk with us

Men’s involvement is not just about offering support from the sidelines. It is about being active, vocal, and fully committed partners in this journey towards gender equity. The kind of support women need is best shown through small, consistent, and genuine actions that reflect one’s character. Those who witness genuine change know it starts in the quiet moments, through the unspoken yet reliable understanding that binds us together.

As fathers, partners, husbands, and friends, men can help create a world where equity is not a distant ideal but an everyday reality. In these roles, the most deeply felt support lies not in leading the charge, but in walking beside women, sharing the load and standing firm against the winds of bias. A true partnership, much like love, is built on countless small threads of respect, empathy, and shared purpose.

This is an edited extract from “Earning Power: Breaking Barriers and Building Wealth for Women” by Roxanne Calder. Calder is the founder and managing director of EST10.