• Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor

  • The New Way to Fast-Track Your Career
  • By: Sylvia Ann Hewlett
  • Narrated by: Karen Saltus
  • Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (122 ratings)

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Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor  By  cover art

Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor

By: Sylvia Ann Hewlett
Narrated by: Karen Saltus
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Publisher's summary

Who's pulling for you? Who's got your back? Who's putting your hat in the ring? Odds are this person is not a mentor but a sponsor. Mentors can build your self-esteem and provide a sounding board - but they're not your ticket to the top.

If you're interested in fast-tracking your career, what you need is a sponsor - a senior-level champion who believes in your potential and is willing to advocate for you as you pursue that next raise or promotion.

In this powerful yet practical audiobook, economist and thought leader Sylvia Ann Hewlett - author of 10 critically acclaimed books, including the groundbreaking Off-Ramps and On-Ramps - shows why sponsors are your proven link to success. Mixing solid data with vivid real-life narratives, Hewlett reveals the "two-way street" that makes sponsorship such a strong and mutually beneficial alliance. The seven-step map at the heart of this audiobook allows you to chart your course toward your greatest goals.

Whether you're looking to lead a company or drive a community campaign, Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor will help you forge the relationships that truly have the power to deliver you to your destination.

©2013 Sylvia Ann Hewlett (P)2014 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"Hewlett's book is full of smart advice, backed up by data, about the impact that a senior-level leader who acts as an advocate can have on others." ( Washington Post)

What listeners say about Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Misleading title, focuses on women and minorities

This was a huge struggle to finish.

I was initially excited about all the stories of powerful women and "professionals of color", until I realized that was *every* example. The data felt misrepresented and often times anything having to do with white males was simply omitted.

In addition, the narrator, while incredible clear, felt better suited for something like a commercial, and the accents were a little distracting. Nothing against her, but didn't help this story.

This was a huge struggle to finish.

I was initially excited about all the stories of powerful women and "professionals of color", until I realized that was *every* example. The data felt misrepresented and often times anything having to do with white males was simply omitted.

In addition, the narrator, while incredible clear, felt better suited for something like a commercial, and the accents were a little distracting. Nothing against her, but didn't help this story.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Extremely easy to listen to

I was able to relate to a lot in this book. I often worried how I can propel my career. I will listen this book again...I'm encouraged but recognize how hard it's been to find a sponsor in corporate America as an African American woman.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

interesting concepts backed with good stories!!!

interesting theories backed with good stories and great tips for women especially. see what works for you instead of applying whats said blindly .

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not my kind of book

A bit boring and lame and the writer doesn't really think out of the box IMO
I didn't like it

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Game Changing

This is by far one of the best and most impactful books that I have read on ascending in the ranks of corporate America. It inspired me to call my very first sales manager at Xerox Corporation to let him know just how amazing of a SPONSOR and mentor he had to been to me and the other woman on his team.

It's too bad, that I did not realize what was really going on, how I was being singled out for more or what to do with the opportunity. It was my generation that was the first to come into corporate America en masse quite often into sales position. Our mothers wanted a singular thing for us and that was for us to be able to take care of ourselves.

If only this book had been around then. I remember my sales manager giving the 8 women on his team a Book that was groundbreaking in its time entitled "Games mother never taught you corporate gamesmanship for women."

I have already shared this book with several women, and I promise to take this information and share it with as many women and minority's as will listen.

Thank you for writing this book. It will forever change my one on one coaching practice.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Started well... ended with advice mostly for women only

Good overall message. Not enough info on how to reciprocate sponsors. Last few chapters focused too much on advice for women.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not what I expected

This book was more about DE&I and less about sponsorship. Which is fine, but not what I expected. In particular it was very ‘women forward’ which again is fine, but I expected benefit for all types of people. I thought the tone of book could be taken as white, straight middle aged male bashing because it’s referenced through out. Also the narrator of this book went in and out of various ethic dialects which was disturbing and awkward and could be offensive.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Advice

Engaging, well-crafted, specific advice that anyone can benefit from. It will be worth my time to apply the lessons learned here to my career.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Trite

Some good points are made but fundamentally it asserts that the old boys clubs are bastions of racisms and sexism that can only be fixed by replacing them with the exact same system except one where minorities are given preference. If the system is wrong then changing the beneficiary does not make it right.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • **
  • 02-17-22

Useful and practical advice

Learned a lot. Good performance overall but the decision to act out accents for any British and Indian folks being quoted was offensive and unnecessary.

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