“The 4 Ps of Powerful Sponsorship” – How to Find the Right Sponsor to Move Your Career Forward

If you’re a woman in HR, and you're ready to make the move from being seen as helpful to being seen as high-potential, this is for you.

Because here’s the truth, no one really tells you:

You don’t need another mentor. You need a sponsor.

While mentors help you reflect, sponsors help you rise. Mentors offer advice. Sponsors offer opportunity.

They advocate for you when you’re not in the room. They open doors. They take a bet on your potential.

But here’s the challenge—many women in HR don’t know how to spot a true sponsor. And too often, we waste time nurturing the wrong relationships—people we admire, but who can’t actually move the dial for us.

Why Women Miss Out on Sponsorship

Research shows:

• 40% of women never find a sponsor who can truly influence their career

• We gravitate towards mentors over sponsors—seeking safety over stretch

• Even when we do have a sponsor, we often don’t ask for what we really need

I get it. We’re taught not to be too demanding. To wait until we’re ‘ready’. To prove ourselves first. But waiting doesn’t lead to influence. Clarity and confidence do.

The 4 Ps of Powerful Sponsorship

To help, I use a simple framework I teach my coaching clients: The 4 Ps of Sponsorship.

✅ Position – Are they senior enough to influence decisions? 

✅ Proximity – Do they have visibility of your work? 

✅ Power – Do they have real influence and networks? 

✅ Propensity – Are they the kind of leader who champions others?

If the person you’re thinking of doesn’t tick these boxes, you don’t need to cut ties, but you do need to be strategic. Sponsorship isn’t about popularity. It’s about potential and power—yours, and theirs.

The Common Trap: Choosing People We Like

Here’s the thing most of us do (me included, once): We choose someone we admire or who makes us feel comfortable.

But a sponsor doesn’t need to be your best fit personality-wise. They need to have efficacy—the ability to get things done for you. Think less about affinity and more about access.

What’s Your Next Step?

If this has struck a chord, here’s my challenge to you:

💭 Take 10 minutes this week to scan your network. Ask yourself: 

– Who actually has the power to advocate for me? 

– Who sees my work, knows what I deliver, and has the proximity to speak up for me? 

– And most importantly—who has shown they’re willing to champion others?

This clarity alone can transform the way you approach your next conversation, project, or stretch opportunity. Because sponsorship doesn’t just happen. It’s cultivated. Intentionally. Strategically. And you are more than ready to take the first step.

No more waiting in the wings. It’s time to back yourself—and find someone who will do the same.