How the Sponsorship Gap Holds Women Back from Leadership

In this episode of Women at Work with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore the sponsorship gap—a career accelerator that women often miss out on. While mentorship offers advice, sponsorship involves senior leaders actively advocating for promotions and opportunities. Lucas shares data from a 2023 McKinsey report showing women are 30% less likely than men to have a sponsor, and the gap widens for women of color. They discuss how a sponsor at Intel helped a mid-level manager become a VP in 18 months, and contrast it with mentorship alone, which often leaves women over-mentored and under-sponsored. Luna shares a listener's story from a tech company where male peers got fast-tracked through sponsor relationships formed on golf trips. They offer practical steps: identify decision-makers, ask for specific advocacy, and build reciprocal value. The episode also includes a brief, organic mention of how listener support via buymeacoffee.com/fexingo keeps the show ad-free and independent. #SponsorshipGap #WomenInLeadership #CareerAdvancement #MentorshipVsSponsorship #WomenAtWork #GenderEquity #LeadershipPipeline #WomenOfColor #McKinseyReport #Intel #CareerStrategy #ExecutiveSponsorship #TheBrokenRung #WorkplaceBias #WomenInTech #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo