Beyond Mentorship: Mastering Advocacy for Career Success

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All right.

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Friends gather around because

this week we are going to talk

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about mentors versus advocates.

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Now I'm actually embarrassed to say

that before last month, I'd never

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really put much thought into the

difference or creating a podcast

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around what the differences.

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But I was lucky enough to be the

kickoff keynote for a women's conference

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in March and after my presentation.

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I attended a number of presentations

by other amazing women.

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And one in particular stood out.

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Welcome to episode 1 96 of this shit

works a podcast dedicated to all things.

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Networking relationship building

and business development.

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I'm your host, Julie Brown.

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Speaker author and networking coach.

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And today I am talking about not

only how to find an advocate,

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but how you can be that most

important person to someone else.

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Now through our entire careers,

we've all heard the spiel about

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the importance of mentors, right?

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You know, you have.

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Mentors are supposed to be those

wise experienced gurus who guide you

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through your career path, offering

pearls of wisdom and all that jazz.

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And while mentors are like career Yodas

and to quote the great Yoda himself,

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always pass on what you have learned.

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They are great for teaching

you and showing you the way.

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But advocates.

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Advocates are the ones wielding the light

sabers and fighting for your success?

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Is that enough star

wars analogies for you?

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It is for me.

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Listen.

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Don't get me wrong.

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Mentors are fantastic.

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They are that seasoned pro

giving you insider tips on how

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to navigate the corporate MES,

how to navigate your industry.

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They're there to offer advice, share their

experiences, and maybe even introduce

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you to some key players in the game.

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But when it comes to making moves

and catapulting your success.

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Advocates of the real MVPs

advocates are your champions.

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They're the ones who have your back.

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When you're not in the room, singing

your praises to anyone who will listen.

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They're the ones who fight

for your promotion, your

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res your seat at the table.

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And in a world where networking is queen

advocates are the power players who

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can open doors and create opportunities

for you, which begs the question.

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Why the discrepancy in the emphasis?

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Why do we always harp on about mentors,

but fail to give advocates their due?

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Well, my friends, it's all about

visibility and power dynamics.

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In many industries, mentorship

programs, they're literally a dime,

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a dozen companies love to tout their

mentorship initiatives as a way to

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show that they're interested in their

employees growth, but advocates.

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They operate behind the scenes often

without any formal recognition.

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And let's be real here.

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The concept of advocacy can be

intimidating because it requires

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speaking up, taking risks and putting

yourself out there for other people

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in ways that can be uncomfortable.

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But here's the thing, women in particular.

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Need.

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Advocates wow, concrete statistics

on the exact number of women

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versus men who have advocates

throughout their careers may vary.

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There is evidence to suggest that

women are often underrepresented

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in advocacy relationships compared

to their male counterparts.

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Studies have shown that men are

more likely to have advocates in the

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workplace, which can contribute to

their advancement and their success.

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According to research by catalyst,

a global nonprofit focused on

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advancing women in the workplace.

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Women are less likely

than men to have sponsors.

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Senior leaders who actively advocate

for their advancement and another

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study by lean in.org and McKinsey

and company found that women are less

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likely to have senior level sponsors

supporting their career progression.

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Various factors contribute to this

disparity, including gender biases,

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unequal, access to networks and

opportunities and cultural norms

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that may hinder women's abilities

to build advocate relationships.

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Additionally women may face challenges

in finding advocates who are

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willing to champion their careers.

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Due to the prevalence of male

dominated leadership structures.

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And unconscious bias again.

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However it's important to know.

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That progress is being made and

organizations are increasingly

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recognizing the importance of

fostering advocate relationships for

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all employees, regardless of gender.

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Initiatives aimed at prompting

diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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The workplace are helping to

address these disparities and create

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a more level playing field for

women to cultivate these advocate,

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relationships and advance their careers.

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So, if you are looking for an advocate,

here are five tips to finding one.

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One show your value.

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Advocates are more likely

to champion your cause.

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If they see the impact you're making, so

be proactive and showcasing your skills.

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Achievements and contributions.

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Don't be shy about sharing your wins

and the value you bring to the table.

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Whether it's through project

updates, presentations, or informal

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conversations, make sure your advocate

knows just how indispensable you are.

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Fuck being humble.

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If you want to win over an advocate, be

your own cheerleader first, so long as

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it's not at the expense of someone else.

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Too.

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Build trust and rapport.

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Like any relationship advocacy

thrives on trust and rapport.

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Take the time to get to know your

potential advocates on a personal level.

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Grab coffees, schedule lunch,

join them for a networking event.

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I find common ground and

foster genuine connections.

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The stronger your relationship, the

more likely they are to advocate

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for you when the time comes.

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And remember, this is an ongoing thing.

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You don't make a

relationship in one meeting.

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It's something you need to

nurture for the long haul.

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Three.

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Be a team player advocacy.

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Isn't a one-way street show your

support for your advocate and their

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initiatives that they're interested in.

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Offer to lend a hand on their projects,

provide assistance when needed and

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celebrate their successes as well.

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By demonstrating that you're

invested in their success.

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You'll strengthen the bond between

you and increase the likelihood

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of a reciprocal advocacy.

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For.

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Communicate your goals, make sure

your advocate understands your

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career goals and aspirations.

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Be clear about where you want to

go and what you hope to achieve.

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This gives them a roadmap for how

they can best support you, whether

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it's vanishing you, whether it's

advancing you to a leadership position.

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Securing a high profile project or

gaining visibility for you in the

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industry, articulate your goals.

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So your advocate can help you strategize

and navigate the path forward.

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They can't help you achieve your goals

if they don't know what they are.

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And five.

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Express.

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Gratitude, do not forget to express

your gratitude for your advocate,

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support a simple, thank you can go

a long way in strengthening your

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relationship and reinforcing their

willingness to advocate for you.

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Whether it's a heartfelt note,

you know, What a big fan.

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I am.

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Of handwritten notes, perhaps it's a shout

out in a team meeting or a small token

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of appreciation, make sure your advocate

knows how much their support means to you.

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Now if you're on the flip side.

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And you want to be an

advocate for someone else.

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Here's seven ways to be an

advocate for someone else.

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One listen and understand.

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Take the time to listen to the person

you want to advocate for understand their

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goals, challenges, and aspirations, ask

questions to gain insight into their

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needs and how you can best support them.

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Two.

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Recognize their value acknowledge

and appreciate the skills, talents,

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and contributions of the individual.

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You want to advocate for, make it known to

others, the value they bring to the table

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and the impact they have on projects.

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Teams.

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Uh, organizations or

the industry as a whole.

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Three.

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Promote their achievements,

shine a spotlight on their

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accomplishments and success.

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Whether it's in meetings, emails or social

media, give credit where credit is due and

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highlight their achievements to others.

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This is not only boosts their

visibility, but also demonstrates

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your belief in their abilities.

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For.

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Provide opportunities.

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So look for opportunities to help

them grow and develop professionally.

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This could involve recommending them

for challenging projects, connecting

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them with a mentor or other advocates

or providing resources to support

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their learning and skill development

or making sure you mentioned their

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name in a room full of opportunities.

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Five.

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Speak up and take action advocate

on their behalf in meetings.

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Discussions or decision making processes.

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Use your influence to champion

their ideas, support their proposals

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and ensure their voices are heard.

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Be willing to speak up against the

bias or unfair treatment and advocate

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for equal opportunities for all.

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Six.

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Offer constructive feedback, provide

constructive feedback and guidance

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to help them improve and grow.

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Offer support and encouragement while

also challenging them to stretch their

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abilities and reach their full potential.

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And seven.

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Be consistent and reliable build trust

and credibility by being consistent

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and reliable in your support.

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Follow through on your commitments,

keep their confidences and be there

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for them when they need advice,

encouragement, or assistance.

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By taking these steps, you can

become a powerful advocate for

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someone else and make a meaningful

difference in their career.

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Remember, Advocacy is about

lifting others up, amplifying their

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voices and helping them succeed.

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I'm so glad I sat in on that

presentation last month.

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It really did help me look at the

people in my network differently.

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Recognizing those people who have

always advocated for me, who has been

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a pivotal part of my success, not

just from a networking standpoint, but

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from an advocacy standpoint as well.

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I hope you take some of these tips

and put them into practice either

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to find an advocate for yourself

or to be one for someone else.

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Okay, friends onto the drink of

the week, which I'm not going to

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make this cocktail this week, but I

did you know that there's a Dutch.

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Cocktail called the Advil

cat, spelled a D V O C a T.

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And it's kind of like an eggnog it's made

with Brandy vanilla, sugar and egg yolks.

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And I found a lot of different versions

of it when I Googled advocate cocktail.

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We will not be making this for this week,

if for no other reason than his fucking

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main, we're not having eggnog in may.

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So follow me on a detour here

for this week's cocktail.

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I'm making Taylor Swift's favorite

cocktail called the French blonde.

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And I chose it because if there

is anyone who has add to advocate

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for herself and her creative

intellectual property, it's Taylor.

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So we can all take a page from her book.

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So here's what you're going to

need for the French blonde two

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ounces of grapefruit juice.

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Two ounces of Lillet Blanc.

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One ounce of gin.

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Um, sh.

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Um, hold on.

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I bet you that's pronounced

little lay block.

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okay.

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Two ounces of great for juice.

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Two ounces of Buddha.

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One ounce of gin, a half ounce of St.

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Germain, one teaspoon, fresh lemon

juice and lemon peel for garnish.

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What you're going to do is you're going

to chill a coupe glass in the freezer.

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Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

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Pour all the ingredients in besides

the lemon peel and shake, shake,

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trick shorter Shrek strain the

mixture into your coupe glass.

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Twist the lemon peel over the

drink to release the oils and

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run it over the rim of the glass

before dropping it into the drink.

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And that's it.

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Drink up.

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Enjoy.

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Start advocating for yourself.

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All right, friends.

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That's all for this week.

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If you like what you heard

today, please leave a review

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and subscribe to the podcast.

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Also, please remember to share the podcast

to help it reach a larger audience.

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If you want more, Julie

Brown, you can find my book.

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This shit works on

Amazon Barnes and noble.

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You can find me on

LinkedIn, actually brown BD.

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Just let me know where your

family, when you reach out.

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I am Julie Brown underscore BD

on the Instagram, or you can

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just pop on over to my website.

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Julie Brown, bd.com.

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Until next week.

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Cheers.