In the dynamic world of technology, the role of a mentor transcends beyond just guidance – it becomes a catalyst for growth and innovation. This is a truth well understood and embraced by Jonas Pivoriūnas, Head of the Online & Mobile Banking Unit at Luminor Group and a mentor in the 2023 Product Ownership track at Women Go Tech. 

With a rich 15-year background in product development and a passion for leadership, Jonas has taken his expertise outside the confines of his organization to shape the next generation of tech professionals.

In this interview, Jonas shares his journey into mentorship, the insights he’s gained, and the profound impact of mentorship both on his personal growth and within his company. 

How did you decide to become a mentor?

I have been working in the product development field for 15 years, and for 5 of them, I’m working as the people manager, and leader in different team setups in the organization. For some time, I had an idea already that it’s enough to be inside of the organization, that I have enough of the ‘know-how’ in my mind, and I can share it wider. And at the same time, I was following Women Go Tech as the initiative, as the project, and what they’re doing. So it was perfect timing when Women Go Tech got in touch with Luminor, and an internal proposal came up for us to step into the mentorship and to try helping.

What did you learn from being a mentor?

For me, mentorship is very close to my daily values and what I’m doing at work because I try to help people with their complex daily tasks and how to resolve their daily problems and issues that we are meeting on a daily basis. So, during the mentorship, I tried to do the same here. So, for me, it was not that much about learning, but I would say that it was maybe a little bit more about refreshing the theory and stepping outside the box. Because both mentees I was working with came with different experiences in the field and with different expectations, so for me, what was most probably the most interesting was that it was not going one line, but it was two completely different stories with two completely different experiences.

What would be your advice to those who are considering becoming a mentor?

Don’t be afraid; try it out and do it. It will require additional time, and additional effort from you, but it will also benefit you, giving additional opportunities to look at yourself, to look at your organizational setup, at your ways of working, and find new connections, so that’s always a good thing to do.

Why is mentorship important to your company?

I believe that mentorship supports two of our company values very well – curiosity and collaboration. Being the mentor requires building a close connection with your mentee, and it also helps you to build a wider knowledge and understanding of different topics outside your company.

Take on the challenge of helping women transition to tech and grow professionally and personally. Become a mentor.