Human Resources For Small Business

In this Transform Your Workplace episode, host Brandon Laws interviews Dr. Rosalind Chow about her book "The Doors You Can Open." They discuss the critical difference between mentorship and sponsorship, with Chow explaining that sponsors talk about you to others while mentors talk to you directly. Using Kim Ng's MLB breakthrough as an example, Chow emphasizes how sponsorship requires trust and can take different forms. She explores how "good gossip" celebrates others' achievements, the importance of diversifying social networks, and challenges with meritocracy. Chow concludes that everyone can be a sponsor by connecting people they admire.   TAKEAWAYS Sponsorship differs from mentorship in that sponsors promote others through trusted networks, while mentors focus on personal improvement Social capital comes in "small town" (close-knit, values-aligned) and "big city" (diverse, innovation-focused) forms, with both being valuable in different contexts Everyone can be a sponsor by connecting admired individuals