March 8, 2022When Gayatri Shenai was a new partner in McKinsey Digital, she faced some tough questions about her qualifications in a meeting with a CEO. She was there as a subject-matter expert, and the CEO grilled her about her knowledge and experience. Eventually, one of Gayatri’s senior partner colleagues, who knew the CEO for decades, stepped in.
“He interrupted the CEO and said, ‘Look, she’s amazing, she’ll do a great job, you need to trust me that she knows what she is doing,’” says Gayatri. “That moment of sponsorship changed my destiny.”
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Gayatri went on to work with the CEO in a long and successful relationship. But that early moment underscores how important it was to have sponsors guiding her career.
While women earn about half of science and engineering degrees, they make up less than 20 percent of people employed in these fields. And for many who choose this career path, they are commonly the only person of their gender in a room.
This International Women’s Day, we’re looking at one workplace element that can help reverse those trends for women in tech: connecting with a sponsor who creates opportunities for them and advocates for their advancement.
Choosing and working with sponsors
Expert associate partner Devon Chen has worked with several sponsors throughout her McKinsey career, and she’s now in a place to sponsor others. She says that a successful sponsorship is all about personal chemistry.
Continue reading: https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/new-at-mckinsey-blog/putting-women-at-the-forefront-of-technology
“He interrupted the CEO and said, ‘Look, she’s amazing, she’ll do a great job, you need to trust me that she knows what she is doing,’” says Gayatri. “That moment of sponsorship changed my destiny.”
We strive to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to our website. If you would like information about this content we will be happy to work with you. Please email us at: [email protected]
Gayatri went on to work with the CEO in a long and successful relationship. But that early moment underscores how important it was to have sponsors guiding her career.
While women earn about half of science and engineering degrees, they make up less than 20 percent of people employed in these fields. And for many who choose this career path, they are commonly the only person of their gender in a room.
This International Women’s Day, we’re looking at one workplace element that can help reverse those trends for women in tech: connecting with a sponsor who creates opportunities for them and advocates for their advancement.
Choosing and working with sponsors
Expert associate partner Devon Chen has worked with several sponsors throughout her McKinsey career, and she’s now in a place to sponsor others. She says that a successful sponsorship is all about personal chemistry.
Continue reading: https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/new-at-mckinsey-blog/putting-women-at-the-forefront-of-technology
