With Butler: Rodney Franklin
About Rodney
Rodney Franklin loves nature and he wants you to love it too. As the Director of State Parks for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, he oversees all 89 of our state parks which welcome nearly 10 million visitors every year.
We worked with Rodney on Texas State Park’s 100 Years campaign, a big moment to celebrate the parks and to encourage a whole generation of new visitors.
As part of our With Butler Series, Rodney shared what he loves about working for the Parks, why character matters and what makes a great leader.
In a word or two, how would you describe working with Butler?
I would describe our work as enlightening and collaborative. I value teams like Butler that can get me to view or think about a situation from a slightly different perspective. Who knew wrong thinking could lead you to the right answer? Now I know.
What’s the one thing you love most about your job?
I love that I get to see the great work that the state park team does in connecting Texans to the outdoors across the great state of Texas. There is nothing better than seeing firsthand the smiles and memories we create for the families and visitors that enjoy Texas State Parks. I get to be a part of that and know that our work will impact generations of people, many of whom we will never meet.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice someone has given you?
A couple of things come to mind. A mentor once said to me “the best thing you can do to get the next great job is to be the very best at your current job.” I have also learned that anyone can be a leader because leadership doesn’t come from a title or position. True leadership comes from your actions and how you treat others.
What quality do you value most in a collaborator?
I believe a lot of the traits I value start with high character and integrity. You can tell when people truly care and want to be of service to others. When you work with people like that then you can achieve anything because they want you or the mutual goal to succeed over anything else.
Who’s the one person you work best with and why?
Trick question! There are and have been too many to count. I have worked with so many people that put the needs of others or the mission above themselves. Some of the best colleagues were/are those that complimented my weaknesses and could anticipate needs in areas that were blind spots for me. Having joy and passion for our work also helps.
About With Butler
We get to work with some truly amazing people. With Butler is an ongoing series where we highlight the many remarkable clients, partners and leaders we’ve been able to collaborate with over the years. In the series, we ask them to share lessons they’ve learned and how they like to collaborate by answering five thought-provoking questions.