This episode delves into the crucial difference between mentors and advocates, revealing why advocate relationships are essential for professional growth. 

This episode is packed with practical advice, including five expert tips on finding advocates and seven actionable strategies to become an effective advocate for others. 

Tune in to discover the keys to navigating the path to career success through the lens of advocacy!"

Drink of the week….French Blonde

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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.