A mentor talks with you. A sponsor talks about you.
That was the key message behind a recent event hosted by UHN Women that brought staff together from across the organization to explore the impact of sponsorship.
“Sponsorship is probably one of the most powerful, yet misunderstood career accelerators,” said Michelle Kirkwood, Senior Director of Talent and Learning at UHN.
UHN Women is a staff-led group that aims to create an inclusive environment for women at all career stages to grow, lead and achieve their full potential.
Founded on International Women's Day in 2018 by three longtime UHN employees, the group has evolved into a network focused on mentorship, sponsorship, leadership development and career advancement for women across UHN. This event was one in a series of programs designed to realize that goal.
During a keynote presentation and through personal stories, attendees learned how sponsorship can open doors in ways that mentorship alone may not.
While a mentor acts as a coach or a guide, a sponsor actively champions a colleague’s talent by speaking of them publicly and putting them forward for new opportunities.
“The benefit of having someone talk about you when you're not in the room is that it increases visibility,” said Kirkwood.
“It expands networks. It accelerates careers. If you are going down the leadership track, it helps develop you as a leader and it creates greater confidence.”
Building a culture of sponsorship
Throughout the session, attendees learned how to identify advocates who can support their professional development and, in turn, how they can use their own influence to help others succeed.
They also explored what sponsorship looks like in practice through a panel discussion featuring three senior leaders and the women they sponsored at UHN.
For Katrina Garcia, a talent acquisition specialist, the event inspired her to think differently about her own career development.
“After this, I'm really going to start thinking about how I want to grow myself and how I can network to find someone who will mentor and sponsor me,” said Garcia. “Likewise, as I grow with my career, I'd love to be a sponsor for someone as well.”
With over 70 per cent of the workforce identifying as women, Garcia said the spirit of supporting each other is especially important.
“I think we need to lean on that community and really uplift each other's talent.”
Sagufta Rentia echoed that sentiment. She said the event encouraged her to be more proactive in building relationships that will advance her career.
“We all hold such a strong light with us. We should empower one another, talk positively about one another and guide one another as much as we can,” said Rentia, a talent consultant who works alongside Garcia.
“What I've learned after today is that UHN motivates women to seek these opportunities that we may not even know are there — to build those relationships and get those opportunities that you've been seeking.”
Strengthening UHN from within
Beyond building up individuals, Kirkwood said sponsorship also plays an important role in developing leadership that will strengthen the organization in the future.
“We want our employees at UHN to realize their career aspirations at UHN,” she said. "It creates stronger succession pipelines, better retention, increased engagement, more diverse leadership representation and a stronger culture.”
Kirkwood wrapped the event by encouraging all attendees to create opportunities for others.
“You don’t need to be a senior leader to sponsor someone,” said Kirkwood. "We are there for each other. We are each other's village.”
UHN Women will host workshops for staff throughout the year focused on sponsorship, mentorship, networking and career development.
