In every leader’s journey, there are people who shape us—mentors who guide us, coaches who challenge us, and, if we’re fortunate, sponsors who open doors we couldn’t unlock on our own. Over the years, I’ve been both the mentee and the mentor in those relationships. I’ve learned that mentorship helps you grow, but sponsorship can change your trajectory.
At this year’s ACC Annual Meeting, sports agent and attorney Nicole Lynn captured this distinction beautifully in an unforgettable keynote interview. “Mentors teach you,” she said. “Sponsors have skin in the game. They put their name on the line to help change the trajectory of your career.” That struck a chord with me, not only because it’s true, but because it’s a call to action for every executive who wants to see the next generation thrive.
The Difference Between Mentorship and Sponsorship
Mentorship and sponsorship are often mentioned in the same breath, but they play very different roles in professional growth. A mentor advises and develops, helping you refine your skills, broaden your perspective, and build confidence. A sponsor, on the other hand, advocates. They use their influence to recommend you for high-visibility projects, promotions, or board seats.
For women and people of color in particular, this difference can be transformative. Too often, talented professionals plateau not because of a lack of ability, but due to a lack of access. Many don’t have the invisible endorsement that moves someone from consideration to selection. As Nicole Lynn reminded our community, “People tend to sponsor those who look like them. And who is at the top?”
If we want to build leadership pipelines that truly reflect the diversity of our workplaces and our world, we have to sponsor across difference, advocating for those who don’t share our background, network, or lived experience, as well as those who do.
Mentorship as a Two-Way Street
I’ve been fortunate enough to mentor many talented professionals from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, and I’m continually amazed by how much I’ve learned from them. Their perspectives—on everything from social media and remote work to the expectations of a new generation—have opened my eyes to challenges I didn’t face when I was starting out.
That’s the power of mentorship: as much as it’s about teaching and guiding, it’s equally about listening and evolving. At the 2025 ACC Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, I hosted a lunch for several of my mentees. It was both humbling and energizing to see how their journeys have unfolded, and to know that, in some small way, I’ve been part of their growth while they’ve also been a part of mine.
On a wider scale, we made that same dynamic accessible to everyone through the ACC Mentor Match program, an online platform that connects members around the world to share advice, support, and perspective. For many, it’s the first step in building the kind of relationships that lead to sponsorship.
Coaching, Confidence, and Career Acceleration
Mentorship and sponsorship are crucial, but there’s another pillar of professional development that has been deeply meaningful in my own career: executive coaching.
Two decades ago, when I first worked with a coach, it was still viewed by some as a corrective measure—something to “fix” a leader. I never saw it that way, and my coach empowered me to thrive. Coaching helped me refine my leadership style, navigate complexity, and think more strategically. That’s why, while serving as ACC’s CEO, I worked with the CHRO and education team to launch career coaching as a complementary benefit of membership. Most recently, at the 2025 ACC Annual Meeting, we offered on-site executive coaching with world-class coaches to all ACC members in attendance on a first-come, first-served basis. Every available opening was scheduled, and each year, the program continues to grow in participation and satisfaction.
From Mentoring to Championing
The bottom line: Coaching strengthens self-awareness. Mentorship builds skills. Sponsorship advances careers. Together, they form a powerful ecosystem of leadership development.
So where do we go from here? As leaders, it’s time to move beyond mentoring the next generation; we must champion them. That means:
- Advocate for opportunity. When you see talent, say their name in the rooms they can’t yet enter and recommend them for key projects, assignments, and next-level opportunities.
- Sponsor across differences. Intentionally support individuals who don’t look like you or come from your same path. That’s how we change representation at the top, especially when you encourage them to do the same and create a ripple effect that opens up opportunities.
- Invest in growth. Encourage those you mentor to seek coaching, professional development, and leadership training, and where you can make those introductions. Growth doesn’t happen by chance; it happens by design.
- Measure impact. Mentorship programs matter, but they also track who’s being promoted, who’s getting stretch assignments, and who’s stepping into leadership roles. That’s where sponsorship makes its mark.
A Legacy of Lifting Others
When I think about my own career—from my early days in the legal world to my years leading the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), and most recently as ACC’s CEO—the most meaningful legacy I can point to isn’t measured in membership numbers or milestones or titles. It’s measured in people and the positive impact you make on the lives of others.
It’s the mentees who became mentors themselves. The colleagues who became sponsors for others. The ripple effect that happens when leaders choose not only to lead, but to lift.
As Nicole Lynn reminded us, mentors teach you. Sponsors take you there. The next generation is ready. They’re looking for both. And it’s up to us, as leaders, to answer that call.
