Sponsorship: How to raise the profile of talented women in the workplace

This week Industry Moves attended an event hosted by the 30% Club and Xplore for Success, in partnership with venue sponsor PwC. An excellent panel of speakers, including world-leading researcher and author on men and masculinities, Dr Michael Kimmel, provided the audience (18% of which were male) with some thought-provoking insights into the issue of gender equality in the workplace.

There was a lot to take away from the morning, including a paperback edition of "Got your Back - The power of sponsorship to accelerate career success". Full of stories from talented women, and men, who have benefited from having a sponsor, it's a look at the difference that can be made when someone who cares about your career is willing to encourage you to 'think big'.

Pip Marlow (pictured below), recently-appointed CEO of Strategic Innovation at Suncorp, was one of the sponsees interviewed, and, with her permission - and that of the book's publisher and CEO of Xplore for Success, Di Ryall - the following is an excerpt from her story:

Steve Vamos and I started working together when I first returned to Microsoft Australia in 2005.

I joined as the Director of Small to Medium Business and Partner Group and at the time Steve was the Managing Director of Microsoft Australia.

From the very beginning, we had an excellent working relationship. He knew whatever task he threw at me, I would tackle head on and deliver. And he liked that. I knew that whatever task I took on, Steve had my back and would support me.

One day Steve sat me down and asked me how I was preparing to take on the role of country manager. At this point, I was 35 and really enjoying the work that I was doing but the country manager job seemed so far from where I was that I hadn't even considered a plan to get there.

I asked Steve if he was serious and he said he absolutely was! He went on to say that he believed that I could get there before I was 40 but I needed to do a few different jobs before then to make sure I was well prepared to take on the role.

With that, we constructed a plan and went about executing it. Steve pushed me to take on roles that I would not have backed myself to go for. He believed in me before I believed in myself.

He taught me that you don't have to have 100% or even 80% of the skills to go for a role or be successful in it. This is such a common mistake I see women make over and over again.

With Steve's support and growing belief in myself, I secured the country manager position for Microsoft Australia just three months shy of my 40th birthday. A role that seemed so out of reach was now in my hands. Steve's sponsorship was critical to achieving this endeavour.

Although Steve left Microsoft a number of years later, his sponsorship of me remains. Steve now holds many board positions and is an active member of Australia's business community. He still champions me even when I am not physically present. I often get a call that starts with 'Steve Vamos mentioned you to me...' !

You can read Pip's full story and Steve Vamos' sponsor story, plus many other inspiring personal stories of successful women and men in the updated 2017 version of "Got Your Back" - available on line HERE for $15.00.