Mentorship vs. Sponsorship and Why You Need Both to Succeed
There has been significant discussion in the healthcare field about sponsorship and mentorship and why both are critical to success for all healthcare leaders. While we have made progress, challenges still exist for women and people of color to secure mentors and sponsors for career advancement. Research from McKinsey found that women who have networks and sponsors were more likely to be promoted and receive pay raises. Only 26% of Black women feel they have the sponsorship needed to advance their careers; 57% of women of color, however, were less likely to quit a job in the first year when they have a sponsor. Although members who participated in McKinsey surveys boasted above average scores for representation of women in leadership, women of color were largely absent from the highest levels in their organizations.
