What Men Can Do to Be Better Mentors and Sponsors to Women

Sponsorship and mentorship are crucial for improving the gender balance and diversity in our workplaces and leadership teams. Yet new research from the Center for Talent Innovation reported that 71% of executives are the same gender and race as their protégés. While some men in the #MeToo era report being nervous about sponsoring or mentoring women, they shouldn’t; while they may not be fully aware that they are, male leaders already take most of these steps when they sponsor and mentor other men. To effectively help advance women in their organization, then, men must understand what these steps are, and then adapt them to the specific needs and struggles women face.