The journey to securing a corporate board seat is demanding, requiring dedication, strategy, and guidance. At Women Get On Board (WGOB), we’ve seen how mentorship can accelerate women’s careers and drive meaningful progress in gender diversity at the board level.
In fact, one of the primary reasons we launched WGOB more than a decade ago was to create mentorship opportunities for women corporate directors. For many aspiring board directors, having someone who believes in them and is willing to invest time and effort in their development is a key factor in their success.
Mentorship vs. Sponsorship: Knowing the Difference
While both mentorship and sponsorship are crucial to advancing your career, it is important to understand the key differences.
Mentorship is primarily centred around providing advice. Mentors assist by guiding individuals behind the scenes, offering insights and support.
Sponsorship involves taking action. Sponsors provide support by publicly championing individuals, even when those individuals aren’t present.
Our team has empowered women in the boardroom for over a decade, and we’ve seen the impact of mentorship and sponsorship. One thing is clear—aspiring corporate directors who seek out both mentors and sponsors progress more quickly in their board careers.
The Two Ways to Find a Boardroom Mentor
There are two primary ways to find a mentor to accelerate your corporate board journey—formal programs and informal channels.
Join a Formal Board Mentorship Program
Consider joining a formal program that matches you with a mentor. The WGOB Mentorship Program is designed for women leaders seeking to accelerate their path to a corporate board seat. This unique one-year program pairs mentees with accomplished corporate directors who serve as mentors. Through guided mentoring, peer-to-peer networking, and key insights from the WGOB e-book How to Get Yourself On a Board, the program empowers women to take the next step in their board journey.
Our goal is to help mentees enhance their board effectiveness while nurturing a thriving, dynamic community of serving and aspiring board members. Not only do our alumni form meaningful mentoring relationships, but they also gain access to a network of women committed to connecting, inspiring, and lifting one another.
Connect Informally with Mentors in Your Network
Fostering informal mentorship relationships through your existing network can also be a valuable way to advance your career. To get started, list ten people in your network who have the skills and expertise you aim to develop. Then, reach out to the individuals you identified and invite them to coffee or lunch, where you can ask questions about their board journeys. If they offer advice, be sure to note it and follow up later with updates on how you were able to use it.
Tips for Effective Mentorship Relationships
To ensure that both you and your mentor benefit from your mentorship relationship, follow these guidelines for a successful experience.
Clear Time Commitments: Mentees often manage the relationship by organizing regular mentoring sessions. Follow standard meeting etiquette by agreeing on times and objectives beforehand. Most importantly, always be punctual.
Openness to Learning: As a mentee, you should arrive eager and prepared to learn. Show enthusiasm by taking the initiative to set session goals and follow up on your progress.
Clear Communication: Practice active listening, ask appropriate follow-up questions promptly, and clarify anything you do not understand.
Establish Mutual Trust and Respect: Successful mentorship is rooted in trust and respect. Both parties should feel comfortable being vulnerable, open, and honest in their interactions.
Our Challenge for You
As a national movement dedicated to increasing women’s representation on boards, WGOB has spent the past ten years connecting, promoting, and empowering the next generation of women corporate directors. From our experience, we know that when women have mentors, they advance more quickly.
Our challenge for you is straightforward. If you are early in your boardroom career, seek a mentor to accelerate your journey. If you are an experienced leader, consider mentoring an aspiring woman corporate director.
For structure and proven guidance, we invite you to join the upcoming cohort of the WGOB Mentorship Program. Whether you sign up as a mentor or a mentee, it’s an ideal opportunity to build a new mentorship relationship and become part of a thriving community.
