For decades, mentorship has been the go-to strategy for advancing women in leadership. It’s well-intentioned, widely promoted, and deeply embedded in corporate culture. But despite the proliferation of mentorship programs, the numbers haven’t budged fast enough.
As of 2025, women hold just 29% of C-Suite roles in the U.S. and only 11% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. Globally, progress has slowed or stalled entirely. Clearly, mentorship, on its own, isn’t delivering the outcomes we need.
That’s because mentorship supports women. Sponsorship advances them.
Mentors offer advice. Sponsors offer access. A mentor will encourage you. A sponsor will put your name forward for the promotion, advocate for your leadership, and bet their own reputation on your success. Mentorship builds confidence; sponsorship builds careers.
The problem isn’t that mentorship has no value. It does. But it’s too often treated as the solution when it’s only a starting point. Meanwhile, organizations check the mentorship box and call it progress, while power structures remain unchanged.
Make no mistake: We’re done checking boxes.
No woman wants to be picked simply because she’s a woman. But she deserves to be seen. And that means leaders must look beyond their usual circles and be intentional about identifying and championing high-potential women.
We don’t have a talent shortage. We have an access problem. Too many capable women are stuck in mid-level roles, mentored endlessly but never sponsored into positions of real influence. Until leaders are willing to use their power to open doors, progress will remain cosmetic.
It’s time for a shift.
Companies must track sponsorship outcomes, not just mentorship participation. Leaders should be held accountable for who they’ve lifted into leadership, not just who they’ve advised. And investments must move from workshops to real opportunities: stretch roles, strategic visibility, and board appointments.
Because leadership isn’t taught. It’s trusted. And trust is demonstrated when someone says “She’s ready. And I’ll stand behind her.”
Mentorship prepares women. Sponsorship propels them. If we want more women in positions of power, we must stop admiring their potential and start advancing it.
Tiffany O’Donnell is the CEO of Women Lead Change. She can be contacted at [email protected].
