As a Leader, Create a Culture of Sponsorship

Sexual tension will always exist in the workplace. Affairs happen, and where there’s even the possibility of sex, there’s gossip.

Sex — or the specter of it — haunts sponsorship, prompting men and women to avoid the professional partnerships necessary to achieve their career goals for fear of being censured, fired, or sued. My research shows that 64% of senior men (vice president and above) and 50% of up-and-coming women admit they’re hesitant to initiate any sort of one-on-one with each other lest their motives be misconstrued by their colleagues and rumors start poisoning the workplace. When affairs — or even the perception of one — are present, 70% of women surveyed say the junior female disproportionately bears the brunt, and 53% of male respondents agree. Her career trajectory changes, either because she requests a new position or one is forced upon her. And her reputation takes a dive from which it may never recover.

by Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Full Story: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/10/as-a-leader-create-a-culture-of-sponsorship/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29&cm_ite=DailyAlert-100913+%281%29&cm_lm=sp%3Arbendis%40bendisig.com&cm_ven=Spop-Email