Why Being a Superhero Matters…the Responsibility of Sponsorship as a Leader
Authors: Joshua D. Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA; Jessica T. Servey, MD, MHPE, FAAFP
With Great Power (Influence) Comes Great Responsibility…
Spiderman
Leaders – how do you measure your success? Is it about you or those you lead? How do the scales tip on this important question? Assuming a leadership role changes the metrics of success from your personal success to the efforts you make ensuring the success of others you lead. You can continue to lengthen your CV with first author publications, invited presentations and key roles on committees. These are not inherently bad things and reflect your continued growth. But how are you intentionally pulling and pushing others up and enhancing their careers?
Here are a few questions you to reflect on?
How many of the people I lead have recently won an award I nominated them for?
How many of the people I lead have I created opportunities for at the local, regional and national levels?
How many of the people I lead have advanced to new important positions based on their time with me?
How many of the women I lead have gotten academically promoted?
September is Women in Medicine Month. With that in mind, we wanted to write this blog to inspire us, as leaders, to sponsor women. Sponsorship in its simplest form is creating opportunities for others. It is putting, and potentially risking, some of your own reputation on the line and helping those you lead get opportunities for real growth and professional value. Furthermore, it may mean we need to give up an opportunity for ourselves in order to create the opportunity for someone else. Think about this. Has anyone created an opportunity for you in your career? How did it make you feel? What impact did it have on your career? Are you grateful? If you are like us, these leaders are the ones we recognize as pivotal in our careers. These leaders we want to emulate in how they change the trajectory of our careers. Being a sponsor affords you the opportunity to be that same type of impactful leader.
This is a great month to start thinking strategically about how to sponsor women in medicine. #SponsorHer was recently identified by Dr. Julie Silver as the strategic initiative for this year’s women in medicine leadership course, Career Advancement and Leadership Skills for Women in Healthcare, that she runs. Investing in those we lead is an act of caring leaders. It shows we value the individual and their work. If we invest in those we lead, it helps propel them forward. They develop new skills and sharpen existing skills. This is good for them and our organizations. Make sponsorship one of your leadership superpowers!
We challenge each of you, alongside ourselves, to make sponsorship a priority as a leader. There are multiple ways to do this. Here are several to ways to do it. Make it your mission to complete one or more of these.
Mentor a woman (gateway to sponsorship as you know their strengths)
Amplify a woman in a meeting, email, or tweet
Sponsor a woman for a publication, presentation, position, or award.
Invite a woman to give a Grand Rounds, be a Visiting Professor, speak on a panel, or give a different presentation.
Invite a woman to be a coauthor on a publication.
As you get started, think about women in your department or others you know that you could sponsor. The focus on this post is women, but think about the diversity of everyone you sponsor and make sponsoring underrepresented groups and those with long journeys in medicine part of your leadership brand.
The mission is clear – SPONSOR!
Get to work and complete your mission!
About the Authors: Joshua D. Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA, is a Professor of Medicine at the Center for Health Professions Education & Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Jessica T. Servey, MD, MHPE, FAAFP, is a Professor of Family Medicine and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of Defense.
