Introduction: Sometimes, the biggest professional breakthroughs are not about changing careers, but about changing the way you see yourself within them.

When Eliška Jiranová joined the Equilibrium by BCC Mentoring Programme, she was already progressing in her role, yet often found herself hesitating to fully step forward, speak up, or take ownership with confidence. Through her mentoring partnership with Simona Liskova , she began working not only on communication and leadership skills, but also on the internal mindset behind them. Over time, those small but consistent shifts translated into stronger confidence, greater trust from colleagues and managers, and a more proactive role within her team.

Their journey became a powerful example of how mentoring can quietly transform the way someone shows up professionally, and how that can ultimately shape the direction of an entire career.

Eliška Jiranová (Mentee)

1. What motivated you to apply for the Equilibrium Mentoring Programme, and what were you hoping to gain from the experience?

I was nominated for the programme by my manager, who believed that Equilibrium could meaningfully support my next stage of professional growth. The BCC Equilibrium mentoring is available within our company, but only based on a manager’s recommendation, which made the nomination itself a strong signal of trust and encouragement. I saw the programme as an opportunity to intentionally focus on areas that I knew were important for my long-term development, especially strengthening my self-confidence, improving the way I communicate, and gaining more clarity about my career direction. I wasn’t seeking a dramatic career change, but rather structured guidance, honest reflection, and a trusted mentor who would help me cultivate the mindset, resilience, and presence needed to step more fully and confidently into my role.

2. At the beginning of the programme, what was the main professional challenge or uncertainty you were facing?

At the beginning of the programme, my main challenge was a persistent hesitation that influenced how I showed up at work. I often second-guessed myself, held back in discussions, or avoided taking the lead unless I felt completely prepared. I didn’t always trust that my ideas were strong enough, which made it difficult to speak up or push discussions forward. This lack of confidence also made it harder to take ownership of projects, even when I had the skills to do so. Alongside that, I felt uncertain about how I wanted my career to progress, which meant I wasn’t proactively shaping my role or communicating my aspirations. Overall, my challenge was less about capability and more about believing in my own value and direction.

3. What was the most valuable aspect of working with your mentor during the programme?

What I found most valuable was my mentor’s ability to help me fundamentally reframe how I perceived myself and my place in the organisation. Instead of pushing towards external achievements, we focused on building internal foundations: confidence, resilience, and the feeling that I genuinely belong at the table. She helped me understand that my contributions hold value even when I don’t have every detail perfectly figured out. Our conversations provided a consistent rhythm of reflection, encouragement and challenge, which helped me break long-established patterns of self-doubt. It was incredibly helpful to have a safe, honest space where I could articulate uncertainties and explore them without judgement. Over time, this translated into clear behavioural changes in how I communicate, lead discussions and make decisions (even outside of work 😊).

4. Can you describe one concrete situation at work where advice or insight from your mentor helped you approach something differently?

A concrete example of the mentoring’s impact came when I took over the marketing coordination for part of the Penta Real Estate residential portfolio. Previously, I would have been overly cautious in setting expectations with external partners or taking the initiative in conversations. After discussing communication strategies and confidence with my mentor, I approached the situation differently. I prepared more intentionally, articulated expectations clearly, and wasn’t afraid to negotiate collaboration terms or challenge delays. I also started steering meetings more proactively rather than waiting for others to take the lead. This shift changed the dynamics immediately, deadlines were clearer, cooperation improved, and both my manager and external stakeholders responded with noticeably greater trust. It was one of the first moments where I truly felt the internal shift reflected externally.

5. During the mentoring period, what visible changes happened in your professional role or responsibilities?

During the mentoring period, several visible changes took place in my role and responsibilities. I took on broader ownership of marketing activities and began coordinating multiple suppliers with far greater independence. As my communication became more confident and structured, I gained stronger credibility in meetings and contributed more actively to decisions. I also built deeper relationships with stakeholders, which expanded my influence and visibility across projects. My manager gradually entrusted me with more responsibility, recognising my increased initiative and reliability. As a result, my role naturally evolved into a more senior and autonomous position within the team. Perhaps most importantly, I gained a clearer sense of direction and now communicate my career ambitions with confidence and intention.

Simona Lišková (Mentor)

1. What motivated you to become a mentor in the Equilibrium Mentoring Programme for Women?

I have been actively mentoring for over 15 years, drawing from my own experience at C-level positions leading successful teams in international businesses. Throughout my career, I often found myself in environments where there were very few women at the top. When I started my leadership journey, mentoring was not yet widely established. Many of the challenges I faced, as i.e. navigating complex leadership situations, building confidence in high-stakes environments, building career while raising 3 kids, I had to overcome on my own. These challenges strengthened my resilience, but I would have appreciated and welcomed some advice from someone more senior and experienced.

This became a strong personal motivation: to share my experience and learnings and give back in a way that helps other women progress faster, with greater confidence and clarity. Based on my personal experience, many talented women have full capability, but often they lack the confidence and strategic self-positioning needed to fully realise their potential.

I believe, that mentoring is not only about enabling big, visible career moves. It is about supporting long-term growth, building self-awareness, and helping individuals step into their full potential in a sustainable way.

That is why I am really delighted and honored to be part of the Equilibrium Mentoring Programme, a highly respected platform that enables meaningful impact at scale. If we can together help women accelerate their journeys, avoid unnecessary barriers, and step into their full potential sooner, the impact compounds far beyond individual careers, it contributes to changing the overall representation of women in leadership. And this is what we need.

2. Looking back at your mentoring experience with Eliška, what did you find most meaningful or rewarding about it?

The most meaningful part was witnessing the internal shift that gradually translated into visible professional change.

At the beginning of the programme, Eliška was not planning a radical career change. She was not preparing to launch a startup or relocate abroad. Instead, she was facing a quieter but very common challenge experienced by many talented professionals in their careers: learning how to fully own their professional space.

Sometimes, Eliška tended to hold back, hesitate in discussions, and question her own contribution. Over time, she started to find her voice and actively contributing, confidently communicating her ideas, and taking ownership of projects. This change resulted in a noticeable increase in trust from her manager.

Seeing Eliška’s growth and move from self-doubt to confidence and then to real, tangible impact in her role was extremely rewarding. It reinforced my belief that very often small, consistent shifts can fundamentally change someone’s professional trajectory.

3. From your perspective, how can mentoring support women in building confidence and advancing in their professional careers?

Mentoring creates a safe but challenging space where women can:

  • reframe how they see their own value

  • build confidence in everyday decisions and communication

  • develop resilience to feedback and setbacks

  • strengthen their presence in professional environments

Confidence is not built through one big moment, but through repeated small experiences of speaking up, taking ownership, and being seen. Sometimes everybody needs the encouragement to find greater self-confidence and learn how to sell their own value better.

Mentoring accelerates this process by making these shifts intentional and supported.

4. What do you think makes the Equilibrium Mentoring Programme valuable for both mentors and mentees?

The value lies in its ability to create real, practical impact, not just inspiration. Strength of Equilibrium is in great community connecting huge base of senior experts and business leaders.

For mentees, it provides:

  • clarity, confidence and direction

  • a structured space for reflection and growth

  • tangible progress in their professional role

For mentors, it offers:

  • the opportunity to shape someone’s professional journey

  • a chance to reflect on their own leadership and experience

  • meaningful, purpose-driven engagement and mutual inspiration

What makes the programme particularly valuable is that it focuses on all journeys, not only on big outcomes, but also on the small, consistent shifts that ultimately lead to lasting change.

Our journey shows that mentoring is not only for people planning a major life change. It is equally powerful for professionals who are ready to grow internally and gradually expand their professional impact. And very often the most powerful career shift is not always changing your job. Sometimes it is simply changing how you show up in it.

Interested in learning more about the Equilibrium Mentoring Programme, or just eager to get stuck in and start your own journey?

Equilibrium 16th edition applications for mentors and mentees are now open and you can apply at https://bccequilibrium.cz/#_apply