Park Leaders Show : Park Ranger | National Park | State Park | Leadership

Donald Forgione began his career as a Park Ranger with Florida State Parks. Over time, Ranger Forgione became Director Forgione. As Director of Florida State Parks, Donald Forgione considers himself to be a ranger first. In fact, he signs off on email correspondence with "Ranger First" as a reminder to himself, and others, that he approaches his Director responsibilities as a park ranger. In this episode, Director Forgione shares his journey with Florida State Parks and why having been a ranger helps him perform his duties as Director. He also shares how values move beyond words to become behaviors in a park agency. Director Forgione explains what the Ranger First concept means to him and how it impacts his job as Director.

Are we leaving out Millennials from the park experience? I recently read an article in Outside Magazine questioning if the outdoor industry has a Millennial problem. This article from Outside magazine touches on many issues relevant to parks and recreation. In the Northwest, in particular, recreation can be more about the jacket you wear while hiking than the actual hike itself. While outdoor clothing companies were racing for more high-tech options, they left out the younger generation. With no regard for Millennials, clothing and gear companies continue to offer high-end, high-priced options. Are parks making the same mistake? Are we racing to cash in on high priced recreation? Most park systems are moving toward cabins and expensive RV sites. Millennials do not stay in expensive cabins or drive RVs. So what happens in 10 years when Millennials will be the key demographic for parks? It doesn’t stop with just cabins and full hookup sites for RVs, I know of at least one situation where a park had a 100% occup

Have you noticed the National Park Service Find Your Park campaign? There is a park for everyone, is what the National Park Service wants you to know with the Find Your Park campaign. But don't assume parks are only wilderness or wooded parks. If that were the case, not everyone would find their park. Many people are finding their park in Washington D. C. in the form of monuments, historic sites, parkways, and even the White House. The National Park Service has a large presence in our nation's capital. Philip Selleck, Associate Region Director of the National Park Service Capital Region, joins the Park Leaders Show to discuss the urban parks of Washington D.C. Phil will talk about the challenges of operating parks that see a large volume of traffic that experience shorter visits. Phil also discusses promoting through the ranks of the National Park Service. From seasonal park ranger to chief ranger, Phil offers advice on what it takes to get promoted.

Spencer Cox, Lt. Governor of Utah, joins the Park Leaders Show to talk about the value of state and national parks to the state of Utah. Utah is fortunate to be home to five national parks, several national monuments and a thriving state parks system. The parks boost the economy and create jobs. Perhaps more importantly, Lt. Governor Cox suggest parks are part of the fabric of the Utah lifestyle. Lt. Governor Cox also offers insight to how state government view a park system. He talks about funding, maintenance, and how a state determines if their park system is successful. He also discusses privatization of parks This episode is a valuable look into how a park system fits into priorities and planning from legislatures and the Governors office. Lt. Governor Cox recently shared pictures and video from a recent vacation to promote outdoor recreation in Utah. You can watch the video here. Nearly every one of the questions asked to Lt. Governor came not from the host of the Park Leaders Show, but from people in

Carol Quinn returns to the Park Leaders Show to explain how to hire great people. If you missed the first half of the interview with Carol Quinn, you can find it here. In this episode, Carol will discuss how to improve your hiring process. Making small changes in the interview process can move you towards hiring high performers. If you have ever made a bad hire, you understand the long-term impact it can have on your park or organization. Sometimes we don't interview properly. Sometimes we rush a hire because there is so much work to do. It doesn't have to be this we. We can hire high performers nearly every time. Also in this episode, we talk about the impact Motivation Based Hiring can have on the culture of an organization. If you would like to learn more about Carol Quinn, or Motivation Based interviewing, visit HireAuthority.com. You can also check out Carol's books, Don't Hire Anyone Without Me and Motivation Based Interviewing.  

Lee Cockerell has said "Your most important responsibility is to hire and promote the right people for your organization." If that is true, we need to take a hard look at the way we hire people. Carol Quinn, CEO of Hire Authority, joins the Park Leaders Show to talk about how you can improve your hiring. Carol has helped many companies, including Disney, hire the right people. In this episode, we talk about what typical interviews look like, and why relying on gut feeling is a mistake. Carol also gives us an introduction to Motivation Based Interviewing (MBI). To learn more about MBI, you can find information and free resources on HireAuthority.com. Carol is the author of Motivation Based Interviewing and Don't Hire Anyone Without Me. This interview with Carol Quinn will give you a headstart in understanding what you can do differently to hire high performers.  

Recently, Eric Watilo issues a document to parks in his region of Washington State Parks giving ideas to make sure visitor's have a better experience when they visit parks. When I saw the information Eric was getting out to people in parks, I knew I had to share it with you. Eric did not create this list for people to read and check a box. This is content meant to be discussed and considered. Eric joins me on the Park Leaders Show to discuss his list of 12 Steps to Enhance a Visitor Experience. If you are reading this in email, CLICK HERE to listen to the episode and go in depth with the 12 Steps. 12 Steps to Enhancing a Visitor's Experience Smile – As simple as this may seem, not everyone smiles. Greet Them – Use words to make them feel welcome. In-Person is Priority – Never break off a face-to-face interaction with a visitor to answer the telephone or speak with another employee. W.I.N – W.I.N stands for “What’s Important Now.” Please and Thank You – Say it. Say it often. We all like to hear please and th

Big Bend National Park is one of the most remote parks in the lower 48 states. Allen Etheridge, Chief Ranger at Big Bend, shares the experience of working at such a remote park. Allen explains the lifestyle of living and working in a remote park. A remote park fosters a tight group who work together and play together. It becomes even more important to involve everyone on the team socially and in work. Ranger Etheridge also discusses the role of a Chief Ranger. He provides purpose, motivation, and direction to the staff at Big Bend. A Chief Ranger needs to know, understand, and explain the message of the superintendent, as well as bring forth issues of the staff to the superintendent. We also discuss interviewing and what to look for as you talk to job candidates. Reading a wide variety of leadership books is important for anyone in a leadership position. Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey is one book Allen Etheridge recommends.

LaJuan Tucker received an introduction to conservation with the Texas Conservation Corps. She started as a crew member and eventually became a staff member. LaJuan worked directly with young people of color who were interested in college or careers related to conservation. In this interview, LaJuan explains the common questions and concerns young people have about careers in conservation. LaJuan parlayed her experience with the Conservation Corps to become a park ranger with the city of Austin, Texas. LaJuan credits her time with the Texas Conservation Corps as the catalyst to her becoming a park ranger. Had she not been exposed to conservation, she would not have become a ranger. With the Austin Parks, LaJuan works on impactful projects such as Wildlife Austin. Austin is doing critical work to protect the Monarch Butterfly. LaJuan Tucker is a model of the impact and headstart the Conservation Corps and Corps Network can give to young people.

County Parks play a vital role in the grand scheme of parks. A County Park system usually manages parks that range from urban to wilderness. County Parks are often a stepping stone between City Parks and a family making the leap to recreating in State or National Parks. Mary Ann Bonnell, Visitor Services Supervisor with Jefferson County Open Space Mary Ann Bonnell has experience in City Parks, State Parks, and non-profit organizations. Mary Ann is proud of her role with Jefferson County Open Space and the quality of life County Parks offer in her Colorado home. In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, we examine the role of County Parks. Mary Ann also discusses urban wildlife and wildlife education. Through education, urban wildlife can connect people to the bigger natural world.

This week is a short episode to provide updates on what is going on with Park Leaders. Thank you for the great feedback about the episode with Betty Soskin. It was a delight to interview her, and I am pleased you liked it as well. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, you don't want to miss it. I have some upcoming trips. Perhaps we can meet up? I will be in Dallas in early August, and Asheville, NC in October. If you live nearby, and would like me to visit your park, get in touch. Or, if you would like to set up a speaking engagement, it would be fantastic to give a presentation about parks for you. The People of Parks Project is going away soon. If you have not had a chance to lend your voice, you can do so here. Would you like to be a contributor for Park Leaders? I have two opportunities for you. First, I am going to start including articles on the website. If you would like to contribute an article about parks, get in touch. I could use your help. Second, I want to include stories from Park Range

This episode of the Park Leaders Show felt like I was talking to history. Betty Soskin is the oldest park ranger in the United States. Betty is 93 years old. Betty Soskin, Oldest Park Ranger. Photo by NPS Yes, that is impressive. But even more impressive is Betty did not become a park ranger until she was 85 years old. Talking with Betty, I got the feeling she did not necessarily become a park ranger, she became part of the narrative of Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park, and that involved wearing a park ranger uniform. "Whatever I do, they call rangering. But I would be doing it anyway because it is the only thing I know." Betty Soskin first collected national attention when she was furloughed during the government shutdown. When asked what the government should do to end the shutdown, Betty replied, "I am not wise enough to tell them what to do, except to get out of my way." The government shutdown was an obstacle to Betty's telling her story and getting important work done. Betty tackles each day w

Lee Cockerell, former Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World, returns to the Park Leaders Show to talk about how parks can create magic. Previously, Lee has been on the Park Leaders Show to talk about what parks can learn from Disney and nine customer service rules. Since the last time Lee joined us, he has published a new podcast, Creating Disney Magic. Creating Disney Magic is a short, weekly podcast focused on leadership, management and customer service. You can find Creating Disney Magic on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn Radio, Spreaker, or on Lee's Website. Lee also discussed his new book, Time Management Magic. This book will transform the way you approach time management and help you move from surviving to thriving. Lee also tells us how parks can create magic. He offers advice on how parks can communicate through the entire organization, focus on customers, and deliver a great experience for employees and visitors. Parks can get more done with a better attitude. Better producti

When I was a park ranger, the former director of our agency used to preach the concept of the well-rounded ranger.  I believe his message was that our agency needed to train rangers for more than law enforcement. He wanted us to think in terms of service, and not enforcement. If focusing on service is what he meant, he was correct. But the concept of a well-rounded park ranger is hurting parks. Sure, there are people like Tom Betts at Bandelier National Monument who can do everything. Tom is true a well-rounded ranger. But I was not. And chances are that you are not either. And that is OK. It is a benefit to your park that you are not well rounded.  Not being well rounded means you are strong in some areas that can be a tremendous help to your park. It also means you have weaknesses. There are some things you are not good at. That is OK. In fact, a good park manager knows how to consider the strengths and weaknesses to assemble a great team. Now, I expect park rangers to know enough to solve problems and get

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular National Park in the United States. People come from all over the eastern half of the country to visit the Smoky Mountains and drive visitation higher than park service icons such as Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. The key to operating Great Smoky Mountains is not necessarily the visitors who come from other places, the key is connecting to the community. Cassius Cash, Superintendent of Great Smokey Mountain National Park The importance of connecting a park to the local community is exactly why Cassius Cash is the perfect fit for Park Superintendent. New to his role at Great Smoky Mountains, Cassius brings his concept of Listen - Learn - Build and is intent on connecting to the local community. Cassius come to Great Smoky Mountains from Boston, where he served as the Superintendent as Boston National Historic Park and Boston African American National Historic Site. In Boston, Cassius used stories to rebrand the park and built impactful connections in t

I am on a mission to get parks to start podcasting. Podcasting is a way parks can serve visitors in a new and unique way. To explore the idea of podcasting in parks, I went straight to one of the best podcasters around. Jeff Brown is the host of the Read to Lead podcast. Read to Lead is recognized as one of the best-produced podcasts. Not only does Jeff Brown have the best voice in podcasting, he is a true professional. Jeff spent 26 years in the radio business and now brings his experience for training radio talent to helping people develop quality podcasts. In this episode, Jeff coaches us through having a professional on-air presence and how to create a quality show. Jeff also discusses how parks can use podcasts to serve park visitors. Podcasting holds so much potential for parks to connect to visitors in a manner not available in any other way. Consider what this could mean for your park. You can provide interpretation to more people. You can build a loyal following of people waiting for new content by s

Amanda Llanes returns to the Park Leaders Show to talk about her first season as a seasonal law enforcement ranger with the National Park Service. At the time of her first interview, Amanda was a cadet in the law enforcement academy. Now, she has been a seasonal ranger for one year. Amanda talks about her experience, what she looks forward to in her next seasonal assignment and her career ambitions. This interview with Amanda is the second part of a look at seasonal park rangers with the National Park Service. You can listen to the first episode here. If you enjoy the Park Leaders Show, would you consider leaving a review on iTunes? You can find the show here.

On the Park Leaders Show, I often talk to leaders in the National Park Service. Chief Interpreters, Chief Rangers and Park Superintendents have all been guests on the show. The one thing they all have in common is they all started as seasonal park rangers. That means the future leaders of the National Park Service are seasonal rangers right now. Kaitlyn Kunce, Seasonal Park Ranger with the National Park Service In this episode of the Park Leaders Show, I talk with Kaitlyn Kunce, and we take a look at the life of a seasonal park ranger. At the time of our interview, Kaitlyn is a seasonal park ranger at Mesa Verde National Park. Soon, she will be moving to a seasonal assignment at Yellowstone National Park. Moving often and applying for jobs every few months is one of the challenges seasonal park rangers. The goal of most seasonal park rangers is to get a permanent position with the National Park Service. Competition for permanent positions can be tough, and seasonal rangers look for ways to learn new skills

If you have listened to the Park Leaders Show for a while, you know Jack Hartt was a mentor of mine while I was a park ranger. It was my conversations with Jack early in my career which led me to believe that you would enjoy hearing similar conversations with leaders from all over the country. Talking with people from parks is important, but if we are really going to change the landscape of leadership in parks and recreation, we need to step outside of parks too. In this episode, we reach outside the world of parks again and talk with Ray Edwards. Not only is Ray a successful entrepreneur, but he is also a strong supporter of parks. Just like Jack Hartt taught me so much about the business of parks, Ray Edwards has taught me about the business of business. I am so much better at what I do because of Ray Edwards. Ray explains what park systems, individual parks, or park employees can do to foster an entrepreneurial spirit. Ray is the host of The Ray Edwards Show and author of Writing Riches. Ray recommends Wor

After publishing an episode of the Park Leaders Show every week for 52 weeks, the microphone gets turned around. Jared Easley, host of Starve the Doubts, interviews Jody Maberry, the host of the Park Leaders Show. The usual host of the show answers questions about his career and what Park Leaders is all about.. Jared Easley helped Park Leaders get started by helping the host get started in podcasting. He was the obvious choice to be a guest host of this special episode of the Park Leaders Show. You can subscribe to the Park Leaders Show on iTunes and Stitcher Radio.