At Stryker, people are at the heart of everything we do.

Senior leaders from our South Pacific team are applying our people approach outside the organization by mentoring leaders of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME). AIME is a mentoring and educational non-profit that gives Indigenous high school students the skills, opportunities, and confidence to finish school and transition into college, training, or employment at the same rate as all students.

Through our unique partnership, seven of Stryker's senior leaders meet monthly with their mentees to share knowledge, assist with problem-solving, and support the development of AIME's leadership team. Discussion topics range from leadership styles to having meaningful conversations to managing career and family demands.

The mentorship experience has proven invaluable to AIME's leaders while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stryker mentor Karen O'Keeffe, Senior Manager, Customer Operations – Medical Asia, explained, “My mentee and I have discussed changes to the work environment due to COVID-19, including how changes have affected her, the impact on her colleagues, and how to recognize and acknowledge changes.”

Other mentors and mentees have addressed communication challenges, the ability to influence during this unprecedented time, the difference between reacting and responding, and many other concerns.

In the words of one mentee, “I am grateful for these mentoring sessions and have used the learnings to better myself so I can be of greater service to other people.”

Our mentors have watched AIME's leadership team identify their strengths and be motivated to become more effective, resilient leaders throughout the program. Helping people is part of our DNA at Stryker and we are proud to work with AIME’s ambitious group of leaders who are making a difference in the lives of Indigenous youth.