The August webinar, "In My Shoes: Sponsorship, Legacy, & Advancement," captured some key connections to the role of mentorship. I appreciated Dr. Syreeta's clear distinction: "Mentors talk to you. Sponsors talk about you." Shirley Ellis emphasized this difference between mentorship and sponsorship by noting that "when somebody sponsors you, they're putting their name on the line."
The full webinar is worth checking out if you missed it: https://www.projectmanagement.com/videos/1...---advancement. Thank you to the hosts for sharing their wisdom and expertise in this rich conversation!
One recurring message that resonated for me thinking about mentorship was about building relationships before you need them. In other words, meaningful professional relationships develop over time, not simply at the moment we need a recommendation, introduction, or opportunity.
Shirley Ellis' advice to "Build a genuine relationship" made me think about how often networking is discussed as a transaction rather than a long-term investment in people. The strongest mentorship and sponsorship relationships I've seen seem to be rooted in authentic connection and mutual respect.
Curious about the community's experiences:
- How have you built meaningful relationships with mentors or sponsors over the course of your career?
- What distinguishes authentic relationship-building from transactional networking?
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