By Manisha Gangahar, Group Chief Human Resources Officer
Over the past two decades, organisations have made significant development in improving gender diversity across the workforce. More women than ever are entering professional careers, leading teams, and driving business outcomes. Yet despite these advances, the representation of women in executive leadership and boardrooms continues to lag.
This disparity raises an important question: If women are entering organisations in large numbers and demonstrating exceptional capability, why are so few reaching the C-suite?
The answer is complex, but one critical factor often goes unnoticed—the difference between mentorship and sponsorship.
For years, organisations have invested heavily in mentoring programs to support women leaders. While mentorship remains valuable, sponsorship often becomes the decisive catalyst for career acceleration. Understanding this distinction is essential if we are serious about creating a stronger pipeline of women leaders.
The Power of Mentorship
Mentorship is a relationship built on guidance, learning, and development. A mentor shares experiences, provides feedback, offers career advice, and helps individuals navigate workplace challenges.
For women professionals, mentors play an important role in building confidence, strengthening leadership capabilities, and expanding professional perspectives. Many successful leaders attribute their growth to mentors who challenged them, coached them through difficult decisions, and helped them understand organisational dynamics.
Mentorship answers questions such as:
• How can I improve my leadership skills?
• How do I manage stakeholder relationships?
• What competencies should I develop for the next level?
• How can I build confidence and executive presence?
Mentors help women become ready for leadership.
However, readiness alone does not always translate into opportunity.
The Missing Link: Sponsorship
Sponsorship goes beyond advice.
A sponsor is a senior leader who actively advocates for an individual’s career advancement. Unlike mentors who guide behind the scenes, sponsors use their influence, credibility, and networks to create opportunities.
Sponsors recommend women for critical projects, nominate them for leadership roles, include them in strategic discussions, and publicly endorse their capabilities.
In simple terms:
Mentors talk to you. Sponsors talk about you when you are not in the room.
That distinction can make all the difference.
Research consistently shows that women often receive ample mentoring but significantly less sponsorship compared to their male counterparts. As a result, many highly capable women remain stuck in middle management despite possessing the skills and performance records required for senior leadership.
The reality is that promotions into executive roles rarely occur based solely on performance. Visibility, advocacy, and access to strategic opportunities play a critical role. Sponsorship bridges that gap.
Why Women Need Sponsorship More Than Ever
Many women leaders excel at delivering results but hesitate to actively promote their achievements. Others may have limited access to influential networks where leadership succession decisions are made.
In many organizations, career-defining opportunities emerge through informal discussions, leadership forums, and strategic assignments. Without strong sponsors advocating for them, talented women can be overlooked despite consistently exceeding expectations.
Sponsorship helps women:
• Gain visibility among senior leadership.
• Access high-impact assignments.
• Build influential networks.
• Strengthen leadership credibility.
• Accelerate readiness for executive roles.
Most importantly, sponsorship ensures that talent does not remain hidden.
As organisations strive to create equitable workplaces, it is not enough to develop women leaders; we must also ensure they have access to the opportunities that allow them to demonstrate their leadership potential.
The Organisational Imperative
The responsibility for creating sponsors does not rest solely with women. It is an organisational leadership responsibility.
Progressive organisations are beginning to recognise that sponsorship should be intentionally embedded within leadership development strategies. High-potential women should be identified early and connected with senior leaders who can champion their growth.
Leaders must ask themselves:
• Who am I advocating for?
• Whose career am I helping advance?
• Am I creating opportunities for diverse talent to be seen and heard?
Building diverse leadership pipelines requires more than policy commitments. It requires active leadership involvement.
Organisations that successfully develop women executives often share a common characteristic: senior leaders intentionally sponsor emerging talent.
Creating a Culture of Sponsorship
A culture of sponsorship begins with awareness and accountability.
Organisations can take several practical steps:
• Incorporate sponsorship into leadership development programs.
• Track representation of women in succession planning pipelines.
• Ensure women receive equal access to strategic projects.
• Encourage senior leaders to actively sponsor high-potential talent.
• Measure leadership effectiveness through talent development outcomes.
At the same time, women professionals should proactively seek visibility, build cross-functional relationships, communicate career aspirations, and pursue opportunities that stretch their capabilities.
Sponsorship is most effective when preparedness meets opportunity.
Looking Ahead
The future of leadership will be defined by organisations that leverage the full potential of their talent pool. Gender diversity is no longer merely a social objective; it is a business imperative linked to innovation, decision-making quality, and organisational performance.
Mentorship remains a vital foundation for leadership development. It builds competence, confidence, and capability. But sponsorship transforms potential into progress.
If we truly want more women in the C-suite, we must move beyond asking how we can support women and start advocating for them.
Because careers are not advanced solely by capability.
They are accelerated when capability is recognised, championed, and given the opportunity to lead.
The next generation of women leaders does not just need mentors. They need sponsors who are willing to open doors, create opportunities, and ensure that leadership potential is translated into leadership positions.
Only then will we see meaningful and sustainable representation at the highest levels of corporate leadership.