Why women in STEM are mentored but not sponsored

“Women and People of Color are over mentored and under sponsored.” I shared this during yesterday’s Gallup and WOHASU ® Women’s Wellbeing Panel because it’s a reality we must confront. 💡Research from the Center for Talent Innovation reveals the stark truth: • 71% of sponsors say they’re helping protégés advance, but only 30% of protégés agree. • The numbers are even more troubling for Black employees, with just 5% feeling sponsored in their workplaces. Sponsorship isn’t just about guidance—it’s about action. Sponsors advocate, open doors, and use their influence to elevate others. Here’s what sponsorship looks like in practice: • Advocating for high-visibility projects: Recommending someone for a leadership role or a game-changing initiative. • Speaking up in key rooms: Endorsing their abilities and readiness for promotions during executive discussions. • Leveraging personal networks: Making introductions that lead to pivotal career opportunities. I’m forever grateful to my former boss, Jim Clifton, for being not just a mentor but a true sponsor in my career. His advocacy transformed my opportunities and trajectory in ways I’ll never forget. Sponsorship isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’—it’s a necessity for building equitable workplaces. Who are you sponsoring? How can we do better? Let’s continue this important conversation. #EquityInAction #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #SponsorshipMatters #Gallup #WOHASU

just wrapped my first mentorship call of the year. and it hit me again: we’re all (specially women) over-mentored and under-sponsored. i didn’t grow up with labelled mentors either. no one said ‘let’s grab coffee’ or ‘let me refer you for xx’. all i had were observations. women shrinking themselves in meetings. not speaking up. saying ‘just checking in’ before every email. celebrating big wins quietly - on family groups yes, but never on socials. so most of us grew up conditioned to assume this is the way to do it. blend in, be polite, hope someone notices, and of course, the most famous one - let your work speak for itself. it’s 2025 and we know it doesn’t. when we started leap.club too, we didn’t want to build yet another network. we wanted to find women already doing their thing - and make them visible. not for applause. for impact. for someone who’s 5 years behind, for someone who’s still deciding if she even belongs in the room, for someone growing up believing being the only woman at the table is a badge of honour (ugh). and over the years, through the many masterclasses and dm's and meetups, one thing kept coming up: women don’t need another vague 1-hour zoom. we need someone to say our name in a room we’re not in. that’s sponsorship. and it’s 10x more powerful. but what does sponsorship really look like? - forwarding a resume and writing "they’re solid". - nudging someone to speak in a meeting. - looping someone into a pitch or panel discussion. - giving people credit in public for work they did behind the scenes. it’s not flashy. it’s mostly quiet. and i guess that’s why we don’t hear about it enough. the mistake we keep making is chasing mentors. what we need to be doing though is investing in sponsors. here’s a checklist if you'd like to get started: ✅ who are 3 people in your network you can ask for a warm intro this month? ✅ replace ‘any advice’ and ‘quick chat’ with ‘can you connect me to x?’. ensure you find a way to return the favour btw! ✅ identify your sponsors. who’s already mentioned your name in rooms you weren’t in? ✅ and the most imp one - who are you doing this for? we don’t need more vague feedback. we need to ask better. we need to ask clearly.

What women in leadership (and those climbing the ladder) really need isn’t another mentorship program. We’ve built an entire industry around mentorship - but if I’m honest, most of these programs don’t shift power, open doors, or challenge bias. They’re well-intentioned, but rarely transformational. In my journey, it wasn’t mentorship that moved the needle. It was something else entirely - perhaps a mix of some success, being in the right place at the right time, and definitely a lot of personal sacrifice. Missing my son’s rugby game. Sending that urgent weekend email. The list goes on. What really makes a difference is real-time advocacy - knowing that someone has your back when you're not in the room. Knowing you're not being dismissed just because a male voice is louder - or taller. Too often, women are told to “find a mentor” when what they actually need is a sponsor. Someone who will say your name in powerful rooms. Who will back you loudly, not just quietly. Who won’t hold you to a harsher standard than your male counterparts. In this region, cultural dynamics can make it harder to ask for opportunities or challenge systems that weren’t built with women in mind. Many women are so busy fighting their own battles, they forget to look around. And some still hold onto a scarcity mindset: “If I made it the hard way, so should you.” We need to change that script. Women supporting women can’t be just a hashtag - it has to be a conscious, daily act. Mentorship is a good start. But it’s just that - a start. What helped you rise? And what do you wish you’d had? #womeninleadership #mentors #nextgenleaders #realtalk

You can be the hardest worker in the room The most qualified The most deserving of that next step… But if no one with power is saying your name in the right rooms, you’ll keep getting passed over. This is why self-advocacy isn’t enough. I once worked with an incredible woman in STEM - let’s call her Sarah. She was sharp, delivered results, and had mentors who gave her great career advice. The problem? None of them were actively putting her forward for opportunities. It wasn’t until she secured a sponsor - someone senior who took her name into rooms she couldn’t access - that she finally got the leadership role she had been working toward for years. Lesson? 🔸 Mentors guide you. 🔸 Sponsors elevate you. Enter Rule 7 for Thriving in STEM: Mentorship is good, but sponsorship is gold. If you’re not sure how to find a sponsor, start by identifying senior leaders who see your value and have influence. Then, ask yourself: ➡️ Have I demonstrated impact in a way that makes them want to advocate for me? ➡️ Do they know my career aspirations? ➡️ Have I built a relationship based on trust and visibility? Who’s been your biggest sponsor? Tag them below and show them some appreciation. #ValuedAtWork #ThrivingInSTEM #LaurensSTEMRules #Rule7