Dear Leader,
I trust this meets you in pursuit of wisdom.
If you missed my first letter on the 5 People you need on your leadership journey, please read it first before you continue reading this one.
This part 2 was actually inspired by the question Rhema asked in reply to my first letter.
His message reads: “Hello, Sir Great. Thank you for this letter, I learnt. However, I have this question for you: If I eventually get to know the sponsors that I need, do I tell them outrightly? How do I go about doing this, sir?
So instead of me replying to Rhema directly, I thought sharing this openly would be of benefit to you, in case you had a similar question.
I did mention that Mentors speak to you but Sponsors speak about you. Sponsors open doors and recommend you for opportunities.
As you grow in your leadership journey, you will meet many people who can help you. Some will teach you, some will encourage you, and some will open doors for you.
A mentor can be a sponsor at the same time, but it is not always the case. The role of a sponsor is quite different from a mentor. A mentor’s role may end with giving you advice, sharing experiences and helping you develop. But a sponsor goes a step further. A sponsor uses their influence, relationships and reputation to recommend you, introduce you to important people or connect you to opportunities.
But here is something important: you do not always need to approach someone and say, “Will you be my sponsor?”
No.
People can be your sponsor without you calling them “My Sponsor”. Keep the title in your head and let them play the role.
Sponsorship typically grows from an existing relationship. Most times, they start as your mentor but eventually grow to become your sponsors. This has been my experience.
My recommendation would be that you start first by identifying people who are doing the kind of work you hope to do in the future. They could be senior professionals, business leaders, policymakers, professors in the academic field, political leaders or people who are highly respected in your field.
Then, get to know their work. Read what they write. Attend their events. Listen to their speeches. Follow their projects. When you have something meaningful to say, engage with their work. Don’t simply say, “Great work, sir.” Ask thoughtful questions or share a useful idea.
However, what is also important is to let them see what you can do.
If potential sponsors don’t see what you can do, you are missing out on opportunities. The bible said “Seeth thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings”. Take note of the word “Seeth”. If the man is NOT SEEN, he will not be recommended to kings.
If you want a potential sponsor to recommend you for an opportunity, they need to know that you are capable. Work on projects. Volunteer. Conduct research. Organise programmes. Write. Speak. Solve problems. Build something useful. But don’t keep it to yourself, find a way to strategically communicate that with your potential sponsor.
Also, learn to be useful to the people you meet. Share useful information. Connect people. Support good initiatives. Help where you can. Relationships become stronger when they are based on mutual value rather than constant requests.
Make your request clear to your sponsors not by asking them to be your sponsor but you can say something like this: “I am interested in building a career around public leadership and policy, and I am deliberately developing my knowledge and experience in this area.”
Now the sponsor understands where you are going.
When a relevant opportunity comes up, they remember you.
Eventually, you can grow to make a specific request.
Instead of saying:
“Please help me with my career.”
You could say:
“There is a policy programme I am applying for. Given your experience, would you be comfortable recommending me?”
Or:
“I am looking for opportunities to contribute to policy work around youth employment. If you know of an organisation or project where my experience could be useful, I would appreciate an introduction.”
That is how sponsorship often happens.
Remember, don’t chase people simply because they are important. Build genuine relationships with people who believe in your potential and understand the direction you are going.
I should also mention that you should avoid depending on just one person.
Remember: A mentor may help you prepare for the room. A sponsor helps you get into the room. But before someone can confidently open a door for you, they need to trust that you are ready to walk through it.
So instead of spending all your energy looking for sponsors, spend your energy becoming someone worth sponsoring.
Keep learning. Keep building. Keep serving. Keep showing up.
The right people will begin to notice.
I hope this helps?
I am rooting for you,
Great Owete