The mentor from 'The Odyssee'

The word mentor comes from the Greek language. The old, wise man in Homer's story "The Odyssey", is called Mentor. He provided Odysseus' son with advice, guided him, advised him and guided him through the many dangers he faced. Following this myth, the word "mentor" has taken on the meaning of helper, confidant, friend, sage, counsellor, and guide. In "The Odyssey", Mentor ensures that the adventure ends well for the protagonists. Not by simply granting them victory but he creates the circumstances in which they can do so themselves. By encouraging them and providing them with good advice, he activates the strength that has always been present in his pupils. A mentor puts the focus on long-term development, both personally and professionally

FEMs Mentoring

A mentor is someone who takes an active interest in your career, serves as a sounding board, shares her experiences and wisdom, encourages new ways of thinking, challenges your assumptions, and helps you learn new skills. A mentor has a similar professional attitude goals you hope to achieve. FEMs' mentor has this knowledge and experience. She has faced the same dilemmas as a director, as a mother, as a caregiver. She understands the struggle of professional choices to be made and private work balance. She therefore gives advice and counsel in considering choices and thus gives you a helping hand. FEM's mentor confirms and activates the ever-present strength in you.

FEMs supports you in choices to be made to restore balance and regain your power. Feeling is an important advisor, but we often dare not trust it. We often take rational decisions without letting our feelings speak clearly. But if your head does not listen to your heart, success will be hard to achieve. As an experienced and objective sounding board, FEMs brings about an awareness of yourself in a focused reflective tune-up. Self-reflection is important for your personal development. It gives you insight to maximise your own potential, develop skills, improve performance so that you become the person you want to be. The commitment is to connect head and heart so that choices made feel natural to you and are sustainable so that you are balanced in work and life.

We first agree on the goal to be achieved together, after which choices and dilemmas are evaluated in follow-up sessions over an one year period. Depending on your preference we can do this in person over a cup of coffee or during a walk outside in nature or in a hybrid way. The FEMs mentor leads the conversation, asks questions but most of all listens and tries to get you to make different choices, which will lead to more clarity and understanding about your own preferences. This is an essential basis for you to make well-considered choices that feel natural and therefore sustainable.