Are you investing in the right people?

Many people know the benefit of finding a sponsor — someone who goes beyond traditional mentorship to partner with a junior-level employee to help build their skills, advocate for them when opportunities arise, and open doors. But few realise that being a sponsor is just as important to career growth as finding one.

According to new research from economist and thought leader Sylvia Ann Hewlett, senior executives who sponsor rising talent are 53 percent more likely to be promoted than those who don't. Similarly, middle-level managers who have proteges are 167 percent more likely to be given stretch assignments. Well-chosen proteges contribute stellar performance, steadfast loyalty, and capabilities that you, the sponsor, may lack, thus increasing how fast and how far you can go. But how do you find standout proteges, let alone develop them so that they're able to come through for you and your organisation?

'Having a sponsor can make a big difference in your career. The fact that women have less access to sponsorship is a fundamental problem. In The Sponsor Effect, Sylvia Ann Hewlett makes the smart, practical case for why all leaders should be sponsors: because it helps the next generation and it's rewarding in its own right' — Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook and found of LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org