Advice helps. Advocacy opens doors.
Direct answer
A mentor talks with you and gives advice. A sponsor speaks about you in rooms where decisions are made and recommends you for opportunities. Both help your career. Earn a sponsor by delivering excellent work, sharing your ambitions and building trust with senior leaders.
Comparison
| Mentor | Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | advise | advocate |
| Seniority | any experienced person | usually senior |
| Gives | guidance | opportunities and visibility |
How to earn a sponsor
- Deliver consistently.
- Make your goals clear.
- Be reliable on stretch tasks.
- Say thanks and show results.
Where Teyro fits
Teyro's How to Get Ahead at Work course turns this into short lessons you can play in a few minutes a day. It has 100 lessons, and you can start free.
The bottom line
Build both kinds of relationships.
