The Benefits of Mentoring are a Two-way Street - The Edge from the National Association of Landscape Professionals

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The Benefits of Mentoring are a Two-way Street

Willamette Landscape’s Matt Triplett, Landscape Industry Certified, has mentored a half dozen or more landscape professionals during his tenure as an NALP Trailblazer. His most recent mentee, Tim Buiten,  of Tim’s Complete Landscape Management in Kent, WA, recently spent two days at Willamette’s facility in Tualatin, OR.

“Tim spent eight hours touring our place and talking with staff members and then another day in our office where we shared policies, procedures, and even our employee handbook among other operational details,” noted Triplett. “Later, we welcomed Tim as part of our team at this year’s LANDSCAPES, introducing him to industry veterans, attending seminars, and walking the trade show.”

Triplett plans to visit Buiten’s company in December and has also invited his mentee, whose company is located a few hour’s drive away, to attend this year’s Northwest Landscape Expo with his team.

Triplett emphasized that the Trailblazer program is not a “one size fits all.”  Some mentors  invite their mentees in for a day or and/or visit their facility. Others may develop more of a long-lasting mentorship relationship and actually stay in touch for several years. It depends on the chemistry of the involved parties.

No matter how the program unfolds for individual Trailblazers and their mentees, Triplett said his involvement in the program has definitely been a two-way street.  “I just enjoy knowing that I’m helping people, being an honest sounding board for them and their company. And Throughout the process, sharing our systems and procedures gives mentees an opportunity to question or validate what we do and how we do it, which helps us.”

As he put it, whether you are a Trailblazer or a mentee, it is a true learning experience for all involved.

If you want to be matched with a mentor through the Trailblazer program, we are still accepting applications.