Developing new sponsors

• Many managers have only one or two sponsors
• If you were self-employed would you rely on one customer?
• In organizations, we feel we will be taken care of by one boss.
• At senior levels, prospering is about getting and staying elected.
• Can you create a plan to widen your network of sponsors?
• Can you identify a set number of key players to get close to?
• Set a target date to help you think creatively about how to get there.
• This can't be done overnight so your target should be 6 to 18 months.
• Showing interest in what others are doing is an easy first step.
• Get yourself involved in their projects. Be helpful.
• Find out all you can about what's important to your customers.
• Think of ways to help them get what they want.
• Show how you can add value to their business.
• It's not necessarily about becoming more socially inclined.
• Rather, it's a matter of selling yourself by first identifying the needs of internal customers and then showing how you can meet them.