Roles and Responsibilities of Protégés

What is a protégé?

A protégé:

is a public servant who is a member of an under-represented employment equity designated or equity-seeking group
is looking to advance their public service career with the proper guidance and opportunities identified by a sponsor
is a public servant with high potential for leadership and executive positions
should have the necessary Key Leadership Competencies (KLC) for advancement
should be ready to participate in a variety of training and micro-missions or assignments, that are identified and recommended by their sponsor
“Demonstrates intellectual curiosity, has a passion to succeed, and actively seeks opportunities to network” (Source: V. Essandoh, The Practical Lawyer 2020)

Once a protégé is selected and matched with a sponsor, the following are some key activities that a protégé would generally undertake:

protégés would meet with sponsors to discuss and identify the parameters of the relationship including the objective and the goals moving forward along with the frequency and modality of their meetings
protégés would need to explore and identify their areas of interest, strengths and areas for improvement. This could include areas of experience and areas where more experience would be beneficial
protégés need to be willing to participate in many types of training to build the skillsets required to develop as leaders. They may have opportunities to observe from the back row or to lead from the podium – and everything in between. An openness and desire for learning will be essential.
protégés should be open to constructive feedback from their sponsor, to ensure the required skillset development for upward mobility
protégés may provide feedback to the departmental lead to ensure the relationship with the sponsor is progressing as planned
protégées should come prepared: “Choose a “nugget”” to discuss each time they meet their sponsor and email it in advance. Good choices include success on a recent project or a goal you’d like to meet over the next year. Don’t always go in seeking advice. Make sure your sponsor knows what you’ve accomplished. For instance, if a project went well, ask for a chance to present what you learned to a larger group” (Best Practises in Corporate Sponsorship Programs, 2011. Working Mother Media).