The Doors You Can Open

In THE DOORS YOU CAN OPEN: A New Way to Network, Build Trust, and Use Your Influence to Create a More Inclusive Workplace, Carnegie Mellon organizational behavior researcher Dr. Rosalind Chow introduces the novel concept of sponsorship. While mentorship can change mentees for the better through valuable coaching and encouragement, sponsorship takes it one step further — sponsors can change the social environment around their proteges by actively advocating for, raising the social visibility of, and protecting them. Put simply, while mentors act on mentees, sponsors act on external observers - audiences - to change how they see proteges.

We don't just have the ability to change other people; we also have the ability to change other people's relationships with one another.

Drawing on decades of original research analyzing social hierarchies, corporate environments, and gender and race relations, Dr. Chow makes it clear that our current approach to relationships and career advancement is falling flat and urges everyone to engage in sponsorship — not just those at the uppermost levels. Sponsorship opens doors in the workplace, making it especially impactful for women and people of color, and ultimately leads to mutually beneficial lifelong connections.