It was the spring of 1988 when I had the aha moment.
那是1988年春天，就在那时，我忽然有了顿悟。
I was at my first roundtable, and for those of you who don't know,
那是我第一次参加圆桌会议，对不太了解这种会议的人来说，
the roundtable was a very commonly used phrase on Wall Street
在华尔街，圆桌会议是个很常见的词汇，
to describe the year-end evaluative process for analysts, associates, vice presidents, all the way up to managing directors.
用来描述年终评估过程，评估分析师、合伙人、副主管，一直到执行总经理。
That was the process where they were discussed behind closed doors around a table, i.e. the round table,
那是一个与外界隔绝的闭门会议，顾名思义就是围着桌子，例如圆桌，
and everyone was put into a category -- the top bucket, the middle bucket, the lower bucket
所有人都会被分门别类--高档、中档以及低档，
and then that was translated into a bonus range that would be assigned to each professional.
然后这会被转化为分配给每个人的奖金标准。
This was my first time there, and as I observed,
这是我第一次参加，据我所观察，
I saw that there was one person that was responsible for recording the outcome of a conversation.
我看到只有一位负责人记录每一次谈话的结果。
There were other people in the room that had the responsibility of presenting the cases of all the candidates.
房间里有其他人则在负责展示所有参会者的案例。
And there were other invited guests who were supposed to comment as a candidate's position was presented.
并且有一些受邀来宾，当候选人所在职位被展示后给予相应的评估。
It was interesting to me that those other people were folks who were more senior than the folks that were being discussed
让我觉得有趣的是，那些外来的来宾都是些职位资历比被讨论者更高的人，
and they theoretically had had some interaction with those candidates.
理论上来说，他们都曾与这些候选人多少有过互动。
Now, I was really excited to be at this roundtable for the first time,
我真的对于第一次参加圆桌会议很是激动，
because I knew that my own process would go through this same way, and that my bonus would be decided in the same way,
因为我知道我自己被评估的流程也是如此，而且我的奖金也会以同样的方式被决定，
so I wanted to know how it worked, but more importantly,
所以我想要知道它是怎么运作的，但更重要的是，
I wanted to understand how this concept of a meritocracy that every company that I talked to walking out of business school was selling.
我想要明白精英体制这个概念真正的含义，它又是怎样令每一个从商学院走来的公司如此推崇的。
Every time I talked to a company, they would say, "Our culture, our process, is a meritocracy.
每次当我走进一家公司，他们都会说，“我们的企业文化，我们的流程，都是最精英的。
The way you get ahead in this organization is that you're smart,
你要想在这样的公司出类拔萃，那你就必须是聪明的，
you put your head down and you work really hard, and you'll go right to the top.
你得埋头苦干，你得勤勤恳恳，然后你就能登峰造极。”
So here was my opportunity to see exactly how that worked.
因此，这是我看到它如何运作的机会。
So as the process began, I heard the recorder call the first person's name. "Joe Smith."
所以随着流程开始，我听到记录员喊了第一个人的名字。“乔·史密斯。”
The person responsible for presenting Joe's case did just that.
负责展示的人就展示了乔的案例。
Three quarters of the way through, someone interrupted and said,
当3/4的流程快走完时，有个人打断并说道，
"This is a great candidate, outstanding, has great analytical and quantitative skills. This is a superstar."
“这是个很好的候选人，非常出色，有着很强的分析和统计能力。他就是个超级巨星。”
The recorder then said, "Sounds like Joe should go in the top bucket."
记录员接着说，“听起来乔应该被分到高档。”
Second person, Mary Smith. Halfway through that presentation, someone said,
下面第二个人，玛丽·史密斯。当展示做到一半的时候，有人说，
"Solid candidate. Nothing really special, but a good pair of hands."
“可靠的候选人。没有什么特别之处，但是做得不错。”
The recorder said, "Sounds like Mary should go in the middle bucket."
记录员说，“听起来玛丽应该分到中档。”
And then someone said, "Arnold Smith."
接着另一个人说，“阿诺德·史密斯。”
Before the person could present Arnold's case, somebody said,
在展示阿诺德的案例之前，有人说道，
"Disaster. Disaster. This kid doesn't have a clue. Can't do a model."
“简直就是灾难。噩梦。这个孩子毫无头绪可言。模型都不会做。”
And before the case was presented, the recorder said, "Sounds like Arnold should go in the bottom bucket."
在这个案例还没被展示前，这个记录员就说，“听起来阿诺德应该分到低档去。”
It was at that moment that I clutched my pearls -- and said, "Who is going to speak for me?"
就在那一刻，我震惊地抓了抓我的珍珠项链--然后说了句，“到底谁会为我发言？”
Who is going to speak for me?
谁会为我发言？
It was that moment that I realized that this idea of a meritocracy that every organizations sells is really just a myth.
在那一刻我才意识到精英体制的含义，这个被所有企业推崇的，不过是一个虚构的想法。
You cannot have a 100 percent meritocratic environment when there is a human element involved in the evaluative equation,
当人为因素参与评估过程时，你就无法拥有百分百完美的精英环境，
because by definition, that makes it subjective.
因为根据定义，人为让它有了主观的因素。
I knew at that moment that somebody would have to be behind closed doors arguing on my behalf,
在那一刻我意识到，有人得在闭门会议中代表我，为我发言，
presenting content in such a way that other decision makers around that table would answer in my best favor.
以这样的方式展示内容，也让那些围着桌子的其他决策者会对我作出有利的评判。
That was a really interesting lesson, and then I said to myself,
那是非常有趣的一课，然后我对我自己说，
"Well, who is that person? What do you call this person?"
“好吧，那谁是那个人呢？我又该如何称呼这个人？”
And as I thought about the popular business terms at the time, I said, wow, this person can't be a mentor,
就在我思考当时热门的一些商业术语时，我说，哇哦，这个人不能是位导师，
because a mentor's job is to give you tailored advice, tailored specifically to you and to your career aspirations.
因为导师的工作是为你提供指导性的意见，为你和你的职业抱负量身打造。
They're the ones who give you the good, the bad and the ugly in a no-holds-barred way. OK.
他们是给予你那些好的、坏的、丑陋的各类指导性意见的人，以毫无保留的方式。好吧。
Person can't be a champion or an advocate, because you don't necessarily have to spend any currency to be someone's champion.
那个人不能是拥护者或是支持者，因为你不必花任何金钱，去成为某人的冠军。
You don't necessarily get invited to the room behind closed doors if you're an advocate.
如果你是个拥护者，你不一定会被邀请进那个密室中去。
It was almost two years later when I realized what this person should be called.
大约在两年以后，我才意识到我该如何称呼那个人。
I was speaking at the University of Michigan to the MBA candidates,
我当时在密歇根大学向攻读工商管理硕士的学生们做演讲，
talking about the lessons that I had learned after my three short years on Wall Street, and then it came to me.
谈论着我从短暂的三年华尔街经历中学到的教训。就在那时，我灵光一闪。
I said, "Oh, this person that is carrying your interest, or as I like to say,
我说，“这个承载着你利益的人，或者按我的说法，
carrying your paper into the room, this person who is spending their valuable political and social capital on you,
那个带着你的文件走进那房间的人，这个花费他们宝贵的政治和社会资源在你身上，
this person who is going to pound the table on your behalf, this is a sponsor. This is a sponsor."
这个将要在圆桌会上代表你推销你的人，就是一个举荐人。这就是举荐人。”
And then I said to myself, "Well, how do you get a sponsor? And frankly, why do you need one?"
然后我对我自己说，“好吧，那你怎样才能得到一个举荐人呢？坦率地说，为什么你需要举荐人呢？”
Well, you need a sponsor, frankly, because as you can see,
好吧，你需要个举荐人，坦白说，因为你知道，
there's not one evaluative process that I can think of,
我想不出有哪个评估过程，
whether it's in academia, health care, financial services, not one that does not have a human element.
不论是在学术界，医疗界，还是金融服务界，不会涉及任何人为因素。
So that means it has that measure of subjectivity.
所以这意味着一切都有主观因素。
There is a measure of subjectivity in who is presenting your case.
这主观的衡量标准在于谁在展示你的案例。
There is a measure of subjectivity in what they say and how they interpret any objective data that you might have.
这主观的衡量标准体现在他们说什么，以及他们以什么方式去解释你提供的客观数据。
There is a measure of subjectivity in how they say what they're going to say to influence the outcome.
这主观的衡量更体现在他们会怎么说来影响结果。
So therefore, you need to make sure that that person who is speaking, that sponsor,
因此，你要确保那个说话的人，那位举荐人，
has your best interests at heart and has the power to get it,
打心底为你争取最大的利益，并且有力量去争取，
whatever it is for you, to get it done behind closed doors.
不管是不是为了你，在那闭门会议中搞定它。
Now, I'm asked all the time, "How do you get one?"
现在，我常被问道，“你如何才能找到那位举荐人？”
Well, frankly, nirvana is when someone sees you in an environment and decides,
坦白说，在涅槃极乐的情况下，有个人会在某个环境下看到你，就做了决定，
"I'm going to make it happen for you. I'm going to make sure that you are successful."
“我要帮助你你实现梦想。我要让你获得成功。”
But for many of us in this room, we know it doesn't really happen that way.
但对于这个房间里的大多数人，我们知道它不会真的以那样的方式发生。
So let me introduce this concept of currency and talk to you about how it impacts your ability to get a sponsor.
所以让我介绍下货币的概念，以及它是如何影响你找到举荐人的能力的。

There are two types of currency in any environment: performance currency and relationship currency.
任何情况下都有两种货币：绩效货币和关系货币。
And performance currency is the currency that is generated by your delivering that which was asked of you and a little bit extra.
绩效货币是产生于你如何完成你被要求的工作，以及一些额外的。
Every time you deliver upon an assignment above people's expectations, you generate performance currency.
每次你高于人们的期待完成一项任务的时候，你就收获了绩效货币。
It works exactly like the stock market.
它正如股票市场一般运作。
Any time a company says to the street that they will deliver 25 cents a share and that company delivers 40 cents a share,
在任何时候，一家公司向华尔街宣布，他们会发售的股票每股25美分，而那家公司最后提供了每股40分的股票时，
that stock goes up, and so will yours. Performance currency is valuable for three reasons.
股票就会上涨，你的情况也是。绩效货币是非常重要的，这有三个原因。
Number one, it will get you noticed. It will create a reputation for you.
第一，它会令你被注意到，它会提高你的声誉。
Number two, it will also get you paid and promoted very early on in your career and very early on in any environment.
第二，它会让你得到相应的报酬和晋升，在你职业生涯的起步阶段，并在任何情况下的早期阶段。
And number three, it may attract a sponsor.
以及第三，它也许会吸引到一位举荐人。
Why? Because strong performance currency raises your level of visibility in the environment,
为什么？因为有优势的绩效货币提高了在环境中，你的被关注度，
as I said earlier, such that a sponsor may be attracted to you.
就像我之前说的，这样举荐人自然而然会被你吸引。
Why? Because everybody loves a star.
为什么？因为人人都爱明星。
But if you find yourself in a situation where you don't have a sponsor, here's the good news.
但假如当你发现你处于没有举荐人的境况时，我这有些好消息给你。
Remember that you can exercise your power and ask for one.
记住你可以运用你的能力去寻求一位。
But here's where the other currency is now most important.
但在这里，另一种货币就显得尤为重要。
That is the relationship currency,
那就是关系货币，
and relationship currency is the currency that is generated by the investments that you make in the people in your environment,
并且关系货币产生于你在工作环境中做的人际投资，
the investments that you make in the people in your environment.
你在工作环境中做的人际投资。
You cannot ask someone to use their hard-earned personal influential currency on your behalf if you've never had any interaction with them.
你不能要求别人把他们辛苦赚来的个人影响力货币白白浪费在你身上，如果你从来没和他们有任何互动。
It is not going to happen. So it is important that you invest the time to connect,
这一定不会发生。所以更重要的是，你需要花时间与他们建立联系，
to engage and to get to know the people that are in your environment,
去互动并去了解在你环境中的那些人，
and more importantly to give them the opportunity to know you.
更重要的是，给予他们了解你的机会。
Because once they know you, there's a higher probability that when you approach them to ask them to be your sponsor,
因为一旦他们认识你，当你接近他们时，你会有更大的机会请求他们成为你的举荐人。
they will in fact answer in the affirmative.
事实上，他们会给予你肯定。
Now, if you're with me and you agree that you have to have a sponsor, let's talk about how you identify a sponsor.
现在，如果你赞同我的话，也觉得你需要一位举荐人，那么让我们来谈谈如何识别一个举荐人。
Well, if you're looking for a sponsor, they need to have three primary characteristics.
好吧，如果你在寻找一位举荐人，他们需要拥有三个基础特征。
Number one, they need to have a seat at the decision-making table,
第一，他们需要在决策桌上占有一席之地，
they need to have exposure to your work in order to have credibility behind closed doors,
他们需要了解你的工作成果，从而在闭门会议中有可信度，
and they need to have some juice, or let me say it differently, they'd better have some power.
并且他们需要带些“果汁”，或者换句话说，他们最好有些权势。
It's really important that they have those three things.
拥有这三个特征非常重要。
And then once you have identified the person, how do you ask for one? The script goes like this.
然后一旦你已经锁定这个人，你又该怎样去请求他呢？剧本是这样写的。
"Jim, I'm really interested in getting promoted this year.
“杰姆，今年我真的超级想得到晋升的机会。
I've had an amazing year and I cannot show this organization anything else to prove my worthiness or my readiness for this promotion,
我有着如此非凡的一年，我已经尽我所有，向这个公司证明我的价值，我已为晋升做足了准备，
but I am aware that somebody has to be behind closed doors arguing on my behalf and pounding the table.
但我了解到我需要有人在闭门会议中，代表我，辩护我，推销我。
You know me, you know my work and you are aware of the client feedback,
你知道我的，我的工作以及客户积极的反馈，
and I hope that you will feel comfortable arguing on my behalf."
所以我真心希望你愿意代表我去争辩。”
If Jim knows you and you have any kind of a relationship, there's a very high probability that he will answer yes,
如果杰姆了解你的话，你和他之间有任何关系，他答应你的可能性就很大，
and if he says yes, he will endeavor to get it done for you.
如果他答应了，他就会尽力去帮助你争取。
But there's also a shot that Jim might say no,
但也有可能杰姆拒绝了你，
and if he says no, in my opinion, there's only three reasons that he would tell you no.
在我看来，如果他说了不，无非三种情况，他会拒绝你。
The first is he doesn't think that he has enough exposure to your work
第一，他不认为自己对你的工作有足够的了解，
to have real credibility behind closed doors to be impactful and effective on your behalf.
因此在闭门会议时，他没有足够的可信度来代表你和有效地影响你的利益。
The second reason he may tell you no is that you think he has the juice to get it done,
第二个他可能拒绝你的原因，是你以为他有权势去帮助你，
but he knows that he does not have the power to do it and he is not going to admit that in that conversation with you.
但是他明白其实他没有这么大权力，并且他也不想承认这点。
And the third reason that he would tell you no, he doesn't like you.
另外，他拒绝你的第三个原因，就是他不喜欢你。
He doesn't like you. And that's something that could happen.
他不喜欢你。那是极有可能发生的事。
But even that will be valuable information for you
但即便如此, 这也是对你很有价值的信息，
that will help to inform your next conversation with a sponsor that might make it a little bit more impactful.
那会帮助你建立与下一个举荐人的谈话，可能会让它变得更有效果。
I cannot tell you how important it is to have a sponsor.
我无法形容拥有一位举荐人是多么的重要。
It is the critical relationship in your career.
在你的职业生涯中，这是至关重要的关系。
A mentor, frankly, is a nice to have, but you can survive a long time in your career without a mentor,
坦白说，如果你可以拥有一位导师，那很好，但是没有导师，你照样可以在你的职业生涯中生存，
but you are not going to ascend in any organization without a sponsor.
可是没有举荐人，你就很难在任何企业中得到晋升。
It is so critical that you should ask yourself regularly,
这重要到你需要时时提醒自己，
"Who's carrying my paper into the room? Who is carrying my paper into the room?"
“谁是那个带着我的文件走进房间的人？谁是那个带着我的文件走进房间的人？”
And if you can't answer who is carrying your paper into the room,
如果你回答不上来谁是那个带着你的文件走进房间的人，
then I will tell you to divert some of your hardworking energies into investing in a sponsor relationship,
那么我会告诉你转移一些你埋头苦干的精力，去投资一段举荐人的关系吧，
because it will be critical to your success.
因为它对你的成功至关重要。
And as I close, let me give a word to the would-be sponsors that are in the room.
让我用一些话来结束这个演说，致这个房间里的未来举荐人们。
If you have been invited into the room, know that you have a seat at that table,
如果你有幸被邀请进那个房间，这证明你拥有了一席之地，
and if you have a seat at the table, you have a responsibility to speak.
如果你拥有了这一席之地，你就有发言的责任。
Don't waste your power worrying about what people are going to say
别浪费你的精力去担心人们会说什么，
and whether or not they think you might be supporting someone just because they look like you.
不管他们是否会认为你在支持某人，只是因为他们与你相似。
If somebody is worthy of your currency, spend it.
如果有人值得你的货币，那么就花在他身上吧。
One thing I have learned after several decades on Wall Street
在华尔街的几十年里，我学到了一件事，
is the way to grow your power is to give it away, and your voice is at the heart.
想要增长你势力的唯一方式，就是去给予它，并且你的声音就是核心。
And your voice is at the heart of your power. Use it. Thank you very much.
你的声音就是你力量的核心。别辜负了它。非常感谢大家。