Mentor program

Mentoring Matters: partnerships can make a real difference

We all have knowledge and experiences to share – but how do you start forming relationships to learn from others? Our Mentoring Matters program gives employees the chance to take that first step in connecting with someone with experiences and knowledge to share. In this blog, a few mentors and mentees explain what they gained from the program, and how the valuable connections they made have had a real impact on their careers.

Lissandra López joined Nuance in 2019 and works as the Senior Manger of Talent and Organizational Development. She is passionate about learning, organizational development, diversity and inclusion, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. She has a BA in Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and an MBA in Organizational Leadership from Simmons College. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her familia, reading, traveling and volunteering in her community.

John C. Crosby said, “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” Nuance employees know this firsthand – our global Mentoring Matters program gives them the opportunity to make a meaningful connection with a colleague so they can learn from each other. Mentees and mentors talk about their careers, aspirations, experiences and more. While Mentoring Matters is a formal mentoring program, there is little formality involved! Conversations between the mentees and mentors happen across locations, lines of business and levels. Meet a few of our mentors and mentees and learn how mentoring has had an impact on them!

Skilling up

Nagaraj (mentor), Manager, Project Management Client Service in India

Nagaraj is passionate about helping his own team develop their skills, so it is no surprise that he became a mentor in the program. Since he is Project Management Professional (PMP) certified, his two mentees: Jeban and Geetha truly benefit from his one-on-one guidance and experience. Nagaraj believes in the power of mentoring, especially when it comes to sharing career advice. The benefit to him? Mentoring has strengthened his own leadership skills as well – it’s a win-win. Says Nagaraj, “my purpose as a mentor is to make sure my mentees have clear goals and they know how to attain them.”

Jeban (mentee), Principal Project Manager in India

Jeban joined Mentoring Matters because he knew there were  areas he needed to improve in order to become a more well-rounded project manager. Nagaraj helped him figure this out. “During our mentoring partnership, Nagaraj has showed me how to be a better leader and effectively implement successful processes. He’s shared helpful tools relevant to PMP concepts and taught me how to apply them in my daily project routines.” Jeban has not only found a mentor that understands him, he’s also developed a strong relationship with someone who is trustworthy, empathetic and a great communicator!

Geetha (mentee), Sr. Associate Professional Services in India  

Geetha’s goal is to be a project manager within the next year. She joined Mentoring Matters to learn more about project management and how it pertains to reporting, analysis, and preparing presentations. “Nagaraj taught me how to apply project management concepts to my work. We also talk about the leadership qualities I need to be a successful project manager, and how I can build those skills.” Mentoring has helped her increase her confidence and knowledge.

Mentorships across a continent

Sylvia (mentor), Principal Field Marketing Manager in Germany

“There are always people with different experiences and depth-of-knowledge so it’s helpful to have a mentor and mentee relationship where you can learn from one another.” Sylvia truly believes mentoring is a two-way street and being open to seeing things in a different perspective is mandatory for a good relationship. Because of COVID, people are longing for more human interaction. Mentoring has evolved, “personal and professional discussions are now intertwined because they are very much one in the same.” During a difficult time, Sylvia and Lillian have both been able to build a professional relationship and friendship built on trust and laughter – and this across California, USA and Germany.

Lillian (mentee), Senior Customer/Partner Training Manager in Agoura Hills, CA

Lillian has a training and development background, and she has always been a coach to others as well as a life-long learner. Mentoring Matters has given her the chance to be a mentee for a change, so she can prioritize her own growth and development needs. Lillian describes her mentoring relationship as “very open, honest and transparent. It is a fluid partnership that has blossomed into a wonderful relationship!”

Action oriented

Lisa (mentor), Director Customer Success Management, Enterprise Sales in Anthem, AZ

Lisa is no stranger to mentoring – she has had several mentors throughout her career that have made a significant impact in her life. Now it’s her turn to mentor others! “My mentee, Kirsten, has many different interests so my goal was to help her narrow her scope to focus on what she really wanted.” Together they created a plan with development activities, recommended readings and exposure to people in the organization aligned with her interests. “At the end of our partnership I want Kirsten to have something tangible to walk away with that she can continue to build on.”

Kirsten, (mentee) Senior Digital Operations Management Consultant in Agoura Hills, CA

“I saw the caliber of people in Mentoring Matters, and knew I had to be a part of it!” Kirsten wanted to work with a woman at Nuance who could help her see available opportunities, and what her skills could map to. She followed her interest in security and AI, so she was able to gain more exposure to them and then expand her network. “With Lisa’s guidance, I educated myself on the variety of products that Nuance offers and determined where my skills can fit without a specific job description.” Mentoring Matters helped Kirsten better understand career mobility, the importance of thinking outside of the box and how to create her own opportunities.