The Value of Mentorship

By: Trevor Knight, Senior Ranger, Visitor Service

Just another day at DNR…Photo credit Trevor Knight

As I approach fatherhood I can’t help but reflect on all of the influences that have brought me to where I am in my life. Specifically, the multitude of mentors that have influenced things like my work ethic, leadership styles, communication techniques, and economic well-being. Parents are some of our earliest and most important mentors, but the buck doesn’t stop when we leave or fledge the nest. As the old African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Similarly, it takes a village of mentors to develop a great leader.

My father was an early leadership mentor in my life. He taught me the importance of relationship building and being engaged and committed to a cause greater than yourself. Teachers and coaches in high school and college developed my understanding of how to garner credibility. Out of college, I took on my first professional career in the world of power sports. A specific service manager once told me that his success was based on his ability to empower me. I learned a bit of humility and patience go a long way to the success of a leader from the owner of that same dealership. 

More recently, I was the mentee of a man who developed one of the most successful craft breweries in the country. He taught me a lot about the importance of the little details and how stewardship plays a role in every aspect of our life. He also showed me the importance of living life to the fullest, and how the best ideas come from the most unexpected places. The simplest acts, like riding a bike through the Belgium countryside from brew pub to brew pub, can develop into profound ideas, but it takes commitment and work to garner success.

Almost exactly seven years ago, I joined the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources. One of the greatest assets to this department has been a diverse group of leaders that are focused on developing the next generation of emerging leaders in natural resources and emergency management. The authenticity of the leaders on our team and their commitment to developing the people around them is what I cherish the most about working here.

Over the last 4 years, I watched some of the most influential leaders and mentors in this department retire or move on to the next phase in their careers. Yet the ones I consider true mentors continue to influence my decision-making and thought processes. That’s the amazing thing about mentorship - it never really stops! Leaders may come and go, but the ideas and concepts they instill in the people around them grow in perpetuity. 

As our department rolls out its first formal mentorship program this year, we are essentially putting onto paper the things that people in this department have been doing for years. I hope to empower those around me with the skills, consistency, and commitment to growth that my mentors instilled in me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the influence of a growing list of mentors.

I would challenge you to consider not only the ways that you’ve succeeded because of the mentorship that you received, but also how your ability to empower people through mentorship will make you successful.