Donald Griego started his career with the New Mexico Forestry Division in 1997 and graduated from New Mexico State University with a B.S. in Wildlife Management. Donald was the State Fire Management Officer and Resource Protection Bureau Chief for 13 years and has held over 11 positions in the 21 years he’s worked in forestry. Today, Donald currently serves as the State Forester of New Mexico.
On the show, Donald shares his diverse experience as a forester and offers advice for young forestry professionals looking to advance their career. His advice is: You can’t always rely on texting to get the job done! Go out there and meet people, shake their hands, and look them in their eye. It goes a long, long way.
Key Takeaways:
[:55] A message from Leadership Nature.
[1:40] A quick intro about Donald’s background.
[2:40] How did Donald become interested in forestry?
[4:05] What was Donald’s first job for the Forest Service like?
[5:10] Donald has been with the Forest Service for 21 years and has held 11 positions. Most new folks coming in only stay around for five years before transitioning into something else.
[6:25] What’s the most challenging/fun job Donald has had so far?
[10:25] How is New Mexico’s terrain different compared to other states?
[11:55] How do leadership responsibilities differ when taking on different management roles?
[13:05] Over the years, Donald has had to learn how to adapt to new technologies in order to communicate with the younger generation.
[14:25] What does Donald wish he’d learned sooner about leadership?
[17:40] What does Donald love about this next generation or two that are coming into the industry?
[18:25] What is Donald most proud of in his career?
[20:00] Get out there and communicate! You can’t always rely on email or texting to get the job done.
[21:15] How can the younger generation build leadership skills?
[24:05] Donald shares some of his mentors that have made an impact on him throughout his career.
[25:45] What are some things the forestry industry can get improve upon?
[28:00] Donald recommends checking out the author Oren Harari!
[29:55] Remember! You can’t do this alone. We need everybody to come together to promote forest health.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell, by Oren Harari
Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type, by Isabel Briggs Myers and Peter B. Myers