Tepper School of Business Professor Rosalind Chow’s New Book, The Doors You Can Open

Introducing Sponsorship: A New Approach to Workplace Inclusion and Advancement

In an exploration of the dynamics of professional relationships, Rosalind Chow's The Doors You Can Open: A New Way to Network, Build Trust, and Use Your Influence to Create a More Inclusive Workplace (PublicAffairs; April 8, 2025) offers a fresh perspective on sponsorship and its pivotal role in fostering diversity and inclusion. Chow’s book challenges conventional networking paradigms and provides actionable strategies for individuals to become effective sponsors.

Chow, an expert in social inequality and sponsorship, draws on her extensive research and experience to redefine sponsorship, distinguishing it from mentorship and highlighting its transformative potential. “This book is about the people who notice that someone is outside and mobilizes other people to open the door,” Chow states, emphasizing the proactive role of sponsors in creating opportunities for others.

The book opens with the inspiring story of Kim Ng, the first female general manager in Major League Baseball, whose career trajectory was influenced by Derek Jeter's sponsorship. This narrative sets the stage for Chow to elucidate the core concepts of sponsorship and its impact on individuals and organizations.

Chow argues that while mentorship focuses on developing the mentee, sponsorship is about leveraging one's influence to create opportunities for others. She highlights the mutual benefits of sponsorship, noting that it elevates the person being sponsored and enhances the sponsor's reputation and influence.

“If you want others to sponsor you, be a sponsor,” Chow advises, advocating for a shift in networking strategies from self-advancement to creating opportunities for others. This approach fosters stronger, more trust-based relationships and addresses systemic inequalities in the workplace.

The book also delves into the risks associated with sponsorship, such as the potential impact on the sponsor's reputation. However, Chow argues that the rewards of sponsorship, including enhanced social capital and the satisfaction of contributing to others' success, far outweigh the risks.

Chow’s insights are particularly relevant in today's context, where diversity and inclusion have become critical organizational imperatives. The Doors You Can Open offers a practical guide for creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace through strategic sponsorship.

Dr. Rosalind Chow is an associate professor of organizational behavior and theory at Carnegie Mellon University, where she directs executive education programs that advance the careers of Black and Latino professionals and advises corporations on their sponsorship programs. She lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and their two children.

The Doors You Can Open, published by PublicAffairs, is available anywhere books are sold.