So how do I get one of these sponsors I've heard so much about?
18 replies (most recent on top)
What you should say is that you spent 30+ years at EM and never had a sponsor, which is OK. But my friend, not only do they exist, they are essential on the management ladder, not so much at all on the technical ladder.
I never had a Porsche, but I know they exist. Your personal experience does not define all of reality, just your reality. Some people can't know what they never experienced personally.
Believe what you want. Sponsors most definitely do exist, but most people will never enjoy the benefit, or perhaps the need, of having one. Sponsors exist in every industry, and in fact in practically all organizations where competition distinguishes success.
Maybe that was a chupacabra speaking well of me in ranking sessions, but it sure worked. There are simply too many outstanding people competing for a very few number of spots to believe that you can get their on your own. Sponsors provide that little boost that moves you from number 10 to number 1 in line. Maybe the guy at 10 never realized it, but I assure the guy at number 1 knew what happened. And he is the guy that can tell you sponsors indeed exist.
If you don't have one by now, you're likely to be let go soon.
Sponsors absolutely exist. It is informal. For example, in my department, the department head’s superficial opinion of you has a big impact on ranking. Others in the ranking session are less willing to go against the “sponsor”.
This has resulted in some solid employees being PIPd and some poor performers going scott free.
@2gmw+18gtNUhr Thank you for sharing your perspective. I do have a question based on an experience I had. We had a mid level manager on my project. He was very good at managing up but no one wanted to work for him due to how he treated those below him on the org chart. A push was made for 360 feedback. Our project manager was supportive. A message came down from higher up prohibiting us from doing the 360 feedback. He has since been promoted to a prominent leadership role in one of the Guyana projects. I believe he has a sponsor who does protect him from for example the 360 feedback we wanted to give.
This is fascinating conversation thread to me as a three plus decades employee whom has worked across multiple management levels.
Let me be absolutely clear. There is absolutely no such thing as a “sponsor” in our company. You may get on someone’s radar and they may speak favorably for you relative to your recent and current accomplishments. That is all.
If you think your degree or past accomplishments will carry you forward, this is absolutely not the case. When my mentees asked me about their need to get a sponsor ... I am very direct and clear ... there is absolutely no such thing .. and I will judge and provide my ranking input on you on based on my last one to two years of your behaviors and technical and business contributions ... and my bosses above me will not contradict my direct observations or opinions of your performance.
As you progress and grow your career, my bosses (known as L2 and L3) will form their own opinions, and for them also, there is also absolutely no such thing as “sponsors” ... you sink, float, swim, or survive the the churn of the swim from Cuba to Key West all on your own.
Don’t ever think a sponsor exists... let alone may support you long term or help anyone anyone long term, as there is absolutely no such thing in ExxonMobil.
I hope this helps those that want to understand the reality of our talent management and dispel lots of the speculations and innuendo that continues to propagate about sponsors in management.
You don’t get to rest on laurels or past accomplishments this will never happen.
Show up and work hard each day. Be a team player. Be empathetic to your colleagues. Speak and act with courage of conviction. Don’t be a victim or blame anyone else.
If you think your management does not hear or respect your opinions , raise it a level. This is normal to agree or disagree. If you don’t feel your management listens to you , tell them so.
Have courage of your own convictions. If you don’t tell them you disagree because of a paycheck, and you stay with the company, you will negatively contribute and not help the course correction that absolutely needs to happen.
If I ever see you backstabbing someone for your own rankings ... in the next direct ranking conversations I am involved in about you I will factually state the circumstances and ensure you are held accountable for bad behaviors.
Absolutely no such thing as “sponsors”... anyone whom thinks otherwise needs to go find somewhere else to work please, as you will never find a nirvana of being “sponsored” regardless of your competence or incompetence level.
I’m am obviously very tired of hearing the vitriol regarding “sponsors”. Hence the post.
Let the down votes begin for those not accepting the truth.
For all the talk about sponsor, hipo and visibility, what I know is XOM s—s at generating shareholder value. So, the supposed meritocracy is nothing but a sham. The system is corrupt.
Forget about mentors. A sponsor in the context of this discussion implies a senior manager. And Pal, no one assigns a senior manager to anyone. It's not like there is a contract or official document or even a wink wink nod nod. Sponsor here means that you have highly impressed someone and they have taken an interest in you and your career. If you continue to impress with your skills, that person may keep you on their radar and speak knowledgeably about you at the right times. You might not even know someone is doing this for you unless another person mentions it to you, like so and so is really impressed with the job you did and speaks highly of you. Bingo.
If you haven't experienced or do not understand this, then you do not have a sponsor. Pal.
Do you guys work for EM? I don’t think so. Pal, you don’t get a sponsor yourself. If you are a HiPo a sponsor will be assigned to you. For the rest of us, we may find a manager or two eventually that maybe satisfied by our work and abilities and then help you get a good job, from what I call good but 2nd tier, here or there. And don’t confuse “sponsor” with “mentor”.
It depends on the type of career you want. If you to fast-track your career, that almost surely means you want to be on the supv/mngt ladder. With so few slots and so much competition, the only way to make it is to get senior management exposure so that you get the spot, and not the other 12 people being considered. Senior management makes key position selections. That's just a fact, like it or not.
But it's not for everybody. If you are more inclined to be an individual contributor, to develop technical expertise in your field and to seek more steady and gradual advancement, then management exposure is less important. And that's fine, nothing wrong with that. EM always needs good solid technical expertise, and you can have a good career pursuing that.
But, everyone can benefit from some level of exposure. If management doesn't know you or your contributions, you are much more likely to get left behind. And no, don't expect your supervisor to sell you upline. The supervisor's job is to help create opportunities for you to showcase your talents, but it's on you to take advantage of it and sell yourself. Management is simply not going to be satisfied only "hearing about you" if you want to be a key player in either role. That's how the corporate world works.
I do have an issue with the repeated comments that you "need to get exposure to management" and "need to impress management" etc. Are EM employees performing seals at an aquarium??? Surely managers should be the ones who make the effort to know their teams and their capabilities? This whole philosophy of trying to constantly get attention and impress management is deeply flawed. What you get is a certain type of person who feels comfortable courting attention, being the ones who end up being well known/higher ranked than (likely) better employees who just prefer to get on with their job and do well at it. This whole "visability" thing is another deeply flawed concept invented at EM.
@nhw+18gtNUhr Thanks. I’ll keep pushing for a planning role. I’ve tried to go EXPAT and have a couple of times but jobs were always shut down before I could make my mark and then back to Houston.
Term "sponsor" has a bad connotation. But, I assure you, if you want to do well at EM, you MUST have someone senior enough to influence ranking and other personnel decisions that is familiar with your skills and contributions. You can be the best employee in the company, but if senior management doesn't know you, it does you no good.
"Sponsors" mostly ensure that you get a fair shake by speaking up when your name comes up, and often that is all it takes to maintain a good career path. Nothing underhanded, they are simply an advocate that represents your best interests in settings where not all are aware of your contributions. A crony gets you things undeserved, a sponsor is more above board.
It is YOUR job to secure a sponsor. You must find ways to get in front of senior management as often as possible and impress them. This may mean taking a high exposure position like Planning, or leading a team effort, or maybe even taking a tough expat position that you don't really want, but it gives you a chance to showcase your talent. You have to take charge of your career, Your supervisor can't do everything for everyone. Too much competition. It's on you.
HiPo people don’t always know who their sponsor is. They also don’t always know they’re HiPo. Bottom line though, if you’re not HiPo forget getting a sponsor.
If you are HiPo, you get a sponsor at VP level to take care of your career.
I've been there 30 years, never heard of a "sponsor."
Kiss everyone’s butt
Should not be a problem. Ask your supervisor. If your supervisor does not know then ask his/her/whatever supervisor; continue up the tree until you get an answer. Be firm!
Wondered the same myself.