Lara Hogan has the canonical post here, and I won’t rehash it. Read that post. It made me realize I am part of the problem.
The problem is that sponsorship is both harder and riskier than mentorship. It’s harder because you actually have to do something besides just giving advice. And it’s riskier because what if you vouch for someone and they fail?
People in majority groups want to feel like allies. Sponsorship and mentoring are equally effective at satisfying that want. So of course minoritized people are left with a surplus of mentors and a lack of sponsors. Why choose the option that’s harder and riskier, right?
Well, because that’s the one that has an impact.
What members of underrepresented groups in tech often need most is opportunity and visibility, not advice.
Lara Hogan
Who would benefit from your sponsorship?
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Mike Crittenden 