Even though our main focus since the beginning has been to help women with their professional development, since we heard many stories of women struggling with their careers, our programs are open to any other genders who also want to grow professionally. Read about the stories of two men that applied to our programs and their experience.
What does it take to be a leader? What does it take to be a good manager? It is not about the job position at all. Being a leader is constant self-development and self-growth. You cannot understand others unless you understand what is in you and how you react to the world around you. It does not mean that you have to be flawless, perfect, or know everything. It is more about being genuine, transparent, and authentic. It is a lifelong journey of everyday studying and learning to interact with all people and objects in our area. You can study all you like, read books, watch YouTube, listen to podcasts, but that might not be enough. When you feel you are at a crossroads and not sure which way to take, or you need to find the truth, most of the time all such answers are within you, and all you need is a mirror or a push. A mentor or a coach is here to help.
People keep asking me why I am a mentee when I am a manager and also a mentor. They are like: “You should know because that is what you are being paid for”. It's all down to the basics, and those are: “Life is a journey of constant learning”. At one point I knew I needed help and support to overcome obstacles I am aware of, yet I am not able to handle, describe, or get over my own limits. I had to take a look into a mirror. I was in a place and time of need to see my decisions and actions from the other side. I was struggling a bit, in fact. I met one of my friends, Nahal, who is also a mentor at Femme Palette, and she told me about this program. We discussed some possibilities of what I need and she encouraged me to sign up. I was a bit hesitant as Femme Palette sounds like a program for women, and I was like: "What if they refuse me? What if it is only for women?". Well, you never know unless you go for it. I was pleasantly surprised that I got connected to my mentor so fast and we clicked right from the first minute. From mentoring, we got into coaching, as that was what I needed more. Every other week we go through all of my days and moments in life, from business to personal interactions, discuss it all and find ways to improve myself. Some people might ask why a man should even be a mentee. As a man, I should be a mentor, right? Well, wrong. Every single being needs to evolve. Every flower needs support, water, sun, air, to sprout and bloom. It all depends on what you are looking for. Is it advice, is it support to get a new job, is it about soft skills, or is it more complex? Then you might need a push. Describe your needs, expectations, and goals of where you want to be, where you want to go, who you want to become. Mentors and coaches just show the way, possibilities, share the experience and provide a variety of options. But the difficult part of making things happen is up to the mentee. This program is well suited for everyone who needs a push towards better days, who seeks a new path to walk on, or is open to advice others cannot give. Femme Palette is a group of diverse, inclusive, and friendly, enthusiastic leaders and leaders-to-be who share their passion to develop further. I was a bit hesitant at the beginning and now I know this program will help me on both my personal and work-related journeys. Just give it a try, sign up today, share your goals and you will see!
Femme Palette was originally recommended to me by my wife after she went through her first mentoring cycle. I saw what a positive impact it had on her and how much she learned in a relatively short time. Unfortunately, I had to delay my decision to sign up for Femme Palette due to not having a clear mentoring theme to focus on. At the time, the idea of mentorship kind of scared me. What if I pick something that doesn't fit? What if I don't click with the mentor? Or a million other questions that weren't really getting me anywhere. I was lucky enough that at the same time I was very actively meditating on my potential decision, Femme Pallete announced a Coaching + Mentoring program that was exactly what we needed. Not to beat around the bush either, I was also a little nervous about the name of the organization itself. I wasn't sure if the programs were just for women, to be exact. So I decided to contact Gaby and Lucie who assured me that their organization was for everyone and that they would be happy to welcome men as well. After a short conversation they went through the structure of the programs with me and assured me of my choice which fit me perfectly.
I would compare it a bit to tourism. When you arrive in a completely foreign country where you can't read a single letter and don't understand anything, it's a good step to find an experienced guide to show you around, explain the place and, if necessary, recommend everything you need according to your needs. Sure, you can Google it all and go through hundreds of YouTube videos, but it's all time consuming and doesn't guarantee you anything unless you're looking for an adrenaline rush (which is not a bad thing). The right guide will take care of you and show you the city/place as it really is, tailored to your goals and the needs you seek. I've had that experience so far at Femme Palette with mentors and coaches.
Absolutely everyone! Regardless of your experience level (Newbie to C - Executive role) and age, every program has something to offer and something to engage you in. If you are unsure of your career direction or are generally on the fence, I would highly recommend from personal experience the "Coaching + Mentoring" program to help you create order and structure in your needs and goals. Femme Palette is very open and considerate of the different needs of individuals so that you get the most out of the programs you choose.
Interested in growing in your career? No matter what gender, you can apply to the Femme Palette mentoring programs here.
