Virtual Lab: Mentorship and Sponsorship - Building Inclusive Connections

Virtual Lab: Mentorship and Sponsorship - Building Inclusive Connections

Unlock the power of professional growth by understanding the unique roles of mentorship and sponsorship and why both are essential to advancing women’s careers. Women often face unique challenges in the workplace, and having mentors and sponsors can provide the guidance, advocacy, and opportunities needed to overcome barriers and accelerate career progression.

In this interactive virtual lab, you’ll assess your current mentorship and sponsorship relationships, both as a provider and a recipient, and identify areas to strengthen or expand them. You’ll also explore how to build these connections with a thoughtful DEI lens, ensuring your network reflects inclusivity, equity, and impact. By the end of the session, you’ll have actionable strategies to cultivate relationships that empower your growth, enhance your influence, and support the advancement of women in the workplace.

In this lab you will:

• Learn the definitions of mentorship and sponsorship & how they are different and why they are each important
• Self assess your current mentorship/sponsorship situation
• Learn how you develop these relationships through a DEI lens

Tickets:
Free Professional, Executive & CI Gratis members
$45 General & Young Professional members  
$60 Inforum guests (non-members) 

Thank you to our facilitator: 

Michelle Cantor is a Certified Diversity Executive® and an ICF Certified Coach. As a driver of thought leadership and strategic direction relative to organizational and talent development, she has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations. She often refers to herself as a “Coachultant” because she skillfully leverages the unique techniques of each--consulting and coaching.

Coaching women is a passion near and dear to Michelle’s heart. As a professional woman who has navigated the corporate world while raising a growing family, Michelle experienced firsthand the unique challenges that can come with this delicate balancing act. In addition to her lived experience, Michelle’s 25-plus years of human performance consulting make her uniquely qualified to help clients identify and optimize their unique strengths and enable their whole selves to thrive.

A recognized leader in diversity, operational excellence, and organizational strategy, Michelle was named a Crain’s Detroit Business 2023 Notable Leader in DEI.

Cantor earned BA and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan and Indiana University, respectively. Additionally, she is proficient in Spanish and an alum of Leadership Oakland’s Cornerstone program. She is also an Inforum (a Michigan women’s leadership and networking organization) facilitator and coach.

Until Fall 2024, Michelle served as the Board of Directors Chairperson for Living Arts, an organization dedicated to igniting creativity in the lives of Detroit youth through the arts.

To learn more about Michelle and her services, visit her website at www.volarconsulting.com.

About Inforum Virtual Labs
Inforum Virtual Labs are online, interactive and skills-based events that bring real-world perspective from a practitioner with deep expertise in a particular field or subject. The labs are designed with top-notch instruction, and selected to complement leadership development at different stages of careers. Participants will walk away with new information and a concrete personal action plan that carries the learning into workplace practice.