Mentorship helps people cope. Sponsorship changes outcomes.
Why this matters → (30 sec read)
Mentorship focuses on guidance. Sponsorship focuses on influence.
Mentors generally offer advice on how to navigate the system. Sponsors actively shape how the system responds to someone.
Sponsors speak up when opportunities are discussed, they challenge assumptions, they put their credibility on the line.
When access to sponsorship is uneven, unfairness (inequity) becomes self-reinforcing — especially when decisions rely on informal conversations rather than transparent criteria.
For leaders → (30-second read)
Many organisations invest heavily in mentoring programmes while leaving sponsorship informal and undefined.
The result is predictable; some people receive advocacy and air cover whilst others are expected to progress through effort alone.
When race intersects with this dynamic, the wellbeing cost increases. Being unsupported in high-stakes moments creates stress, vigilance, and a constant sense of exposure.
Equity isn’t achieved by offering more advice.
It’s achieved by redistributing advocacy.
Bringing it all together
Sponsorship is rarely neutral. It reflects who leaders trust, who they see themselves in, and whose mistakes feel “fixable”.
When sponsorship operates invisibly, it amplifies existing advantage. When it’s absent, mentorship can start to feel like preparation but without any pathway to follow to get to the next place.
For those without sponsors, work can feel precarious, not because they lack ability, but because they lack protection.
That precarity has a wellbeing cost.
Stress increases when people know decisions are being made about them, without them, and without anyone actively speaking on their behalf.
Making sponsorship visible and accountable is one of the most powerful ways organisations can reduce inequity and unnecessary strain.
Reflection
Who is being advocated for when key decisions are made?
Who is expected to progress without sponsorship, and at what cost?
🔔 coming up on The Work Edit:
Tomorrow, we’ll bring the week together.
We’ll explore the cost of silence, how racism, wellbeing, and unspoken rules intersect and why equity depends on making the rules visible, not pretending they don’t exist.
Want to feel more confident talking about Race and other topics at work?
the 2026 Diversity Ambassador certification is now open for booking! 🎉
Six classes held via Teams | Every Thursday | from 12 - 1:30pm | From May 7th - June 11th
When are the Classes?
Thursday 7 May, 12-1:30 - Examining Beliefs - Foundations of EDI Thursday 14 May, 12-1:30 - Today's Sex & Equality Landscape
Thursday 21 May, 12-1:30 - Flags, Pronouns & Human Rights Thursday 28 May, 12-1:30 - Talkin' 'Bout my Generation
Thursday 4 Jun, 12-1:30 - Anti-ableist. Neuro inclusive. Access for all Thursday 11 Jun, 12-1:30 - Talking About Race Today
Click here to book your place! (please be aware the cohorts fill up quickly)
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coming up on Cultural Calendar Club
12 Months of live, inspiring, entertaining talks events, made financially accessible for all organisations
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International women’s day
Redefining macho
Monday 9 March 2026
12:00 13:00
Not yet a member of Cultural Calendar Club? Join today or Contact Us.
Rebecca created the “Redefining MACHO” framework to encourage better male allyship and foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace. This framework consists of five simple, actionable steps that everyone can implement today to enhance DE&I within their organisations and the broader business community.
M = Meaningful Mentor
A = Amplify Awareness
C = Capture Confidence
H = Harmony with Home
O = Orchestrate Opportunities
Rebecca will discuss how this framework can unlock numerous small actions that collectively support the development of diverse teams, actively champion equity, and ensure that inclusion is experienced by all. She has conducted several “Redefining MACHO” workshops and events, gathering valuable feedback and real-life examples that provide a clear roadmap for change.
She will also share her “Work Life Harmony Handbook” and “Confidence Boosting Alphabet” to help SMASH Imposter Syndrome.