Christina did for Julia in ways that I think are fairly unusual. There was so much orchestrating behind the scenes. Christina says she does this for other people too. She's really looking to promote and sponsor in that way. And she's willing to use her own capital to do that, her own social capital.
Having a sponsor — someone who can use their influence to push your career forward — is invaluable. But how exactly they do this, and what your role is in making it happen, isn’t always clear-cut. Who should we be seeking to sponsor us? Should sponsors be candid with their proteges about what they’re doing on their behalf?
We pose these questions and others to Rosalind Chow, a researcher who studies sponsorship. She clarifies some of the ambiguity and talks about what should be transparent and what should stay unspoken. Then we hear how one of these relationships works between two lawyers, as well as between Nicole and Amy B.
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