Don’t Just Sponsor Women and People of Color — Defend Them

Having an “overly” analytical and unemotional leadership style is a complaint many female leaders and leaders from marginalized racial groups have levied at them. Others are criticized for being “too emotional.” In general, these leaders often suffer from the Goldilocks dilemma: They’re either being too much of one thing or not enough of that same thing. When such criticisms are levied, it’s critical for female leaders and leaders of color to have people willing to sponsor them by defending them to others. Defending comes with a certain amount of risk, and it’s the responsibility of the most powerful sponsors — typically white men — to take on that risk.