The dilemma Black professionals face in corporate America
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As I listen to Kendrick Lamar’s song of the summer, “Not Like Us,” the lyrics are a stinging reminder of a troubling reality I’ve observed as a Black woman with almost a decade in corporate America: Black professionals often face an overabundance of mentorship but a severe lack of sponsorship.
For many Black professionals, mentors are easy to find. We often have multiple mentors and have been through numerous “programs.” But finding real sponsors? That’s a different story.
While mentorship provides valuable guidance and helps navigate career complexities, sponsorship is crucial for advancing in the corporate hierarchy. A sponsor is someone in a position of power who actively advocates for you, pushing for promotions and opening doors that would otherwise remain closed.
The silence around this is both memorable and deafening. As Lamar insightfully puts it, “I remember you were conflicted, misusing your influence…”
Without active support from sponsors, Black professionals frequently hit a glass ceiling, unable to progress despite their qualifications.
Mentorship vs. Sponsorship: The Critical Difference
Mentorship and sponsorship may seem similar but serve different functions. Mentors offer advice and help with professional growth, while sponsors use their influence to advocate for your advancement. They push for promotions, get you involved in high-profile projects, and open doors.
Companies may boast about their mentorship programs, but forming impactful connections with influential leaders remains an uphill battle. Lamar’s lyrics, “They not like us” and “Ain’t nobody praying for me,” highlight this disconnect where promised mentorship often fails to translate into meaningful sponsorship.
In tech, this disparity is even more pronounced. Black individuals make up only about 5% of the tech workforce, and even fewer are in executive roles. Despite numerous mentoring programs, meaningful connections with those who can significantly impact careers are scarce.
My own experience reflects this: despite multiple nominations & active participation in leadership development programs and numerous mentoring groups, forging connections with key internal figures and stakeholders has been an uphill battle. I’m not alone in this—many friends and colleagues share similar stories.
Gatekeeping and the Growing Gap
One key issue is the gatekeeping that occurs within mentorship relationships. Even well-intentioned mentors may inadvertently perpetuate the status quo by not progressing to sponsorship. Whether due to unconscious bias, a lack of understanding of our challenges, or comfort with existing norms, the result is the same: Black talent remains stagnant, with HR scratching their heads and pointing fingers at a supposed pipeline issue alone.
This issue extends beyond individual careers. When Black professionals cannot ascend to senior leadership, it conveys a limiting message about the potential for advancement. Without diverse voices in senior positions, corporate policies and practices risk missing critical perspectives, marginalizing Black workers and customers alike.
Moving Forward
Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach:
1. Building Pathways to Sponsorship: Companies need to establish clear pathways for sponsorship. Formal programs should pair high-potential employees with senior leaders who have the power to advocate for their advancement.
2. What We Can Do for Ourselves: The old adage, “I guess I gotta do it myself” comes to mind. It’s critical that we diversify our networks—putting all our eggs in one basket is too high of a risk.
- Take ownership of our careers by seeking sponsorship beyond current companies.
- Establish thought leadership, to better secure access to active sponsors.
- Attend conferences and meetups.
3. Fostering a Culture of Advocacy: Organizations must cultivate a culture of advocacy by recognizing and rewarding those who sponsor diverse talent. Encouraging sponsorship to be the norm rather than exception.
Only then will we see a corporate landscape that’s truly equitable and reflective of all the value and talent it holds. As Kendrick Lamar challenges the listener at the end of his song, “Then step this way”—it’s time for corporate America to take the step and embrace authentic sponsorship.