There’s a moment every leader remembers: that moment when someone looks at them differently.
Not because of what that leader did, but because of how they did it.
Read Also
The wildly adaptable side of next gen agriculture
Some people just fall into the world of agriculture — and consider themselves lucky to have stumbled into such a…
That’s mentorship.
There have been a few times in my career where I’ve had glimpses of a true mentor. Those moments stand out. But the most impactful mentor in my life has been my father-in-law.
He took me under his wing and taught me so much, not just about farming, but about patience, consistency and trust. And because of that, I enjoy working with him. I want to be around him. That’s the result of intentional mentorship. It creates connection, respect and mutual growth.
And in agriculture, where many leaders manage family members, long-time employees or seasonal crews, there’s an opportunity to shift from simply managing people to mentoring them.
This doesn’t mean adding more to your plate. It means doing what you already do, but with a focus on intention.
Let’s look at four subtle but powerful shifts that turn everyday leadership into empowered mentorship.
- Intentional communication
It’s easy to fall into command-style leadership when things get busy or stressful. We hear ourselves saying, “Just do this.” “I don’t have time to explain it right now.” “We’ve always done it this way.” But mentorship has a different rhythm. It sounds more like:
“Here’s why this matters.” “What do you think is the best approach?” “Let’s walk through it together.”
Intentional communication invites others into the process, not just the task. It gives context, ownership and meaning to what’s being done. And most importantly it creates space for people to think for themselves. - Intentional trust
It takes trust to let someone figure things out for themself. It takes even more trust to let them do it differently than you would.
Mentorship asks us to believe in someone’s potential, even when they don’t fully believe in themselves yet. It’s not about assuming they’ll get it perfect; it’s about trusting them enough to try.
When you extend trust intentionally, you shift the energy in the relationship. People lean in. They grow. They begin to lead themselves. - Curious outcomes
The best mentors don’t have all the answers. They ask better questions. Instead of giving instructions, they offer invitations:
“What do you see here?”
“What do you think would work best?”
“Where are you getting stuck?”
This is where the magic happens.
Because curiosity doesn’t just teach — it transforms. It shifts people from passive doers into active thinkers. That’s how you grow problem-solvers, not just task-completers.
Curious leadership doesn’t control the outcome. It creates better outcomes by growing better thinkers. - You as an empowered mentor
So, what does it look like to lead this way in real time?
It might mean slowing down for a five-minute conversation instead of a one-minute instruction. It might mean biting your tongue and letting someone make a call you wouldn’t have. It might mean seeing leadership as a shared space, not a top-down position.
This is servant leadership. Horizontal leadership.
It’s leadership that doesn’t need to be loud or forceful to be powerful.
When you mentor with intention, you don’t just get the job done, you leave a legacy in the way people see themselves and what they believe they’re capable of.
