Young, emerging leaders share their experiences to help us understand what it means to be an indigenous leader in the real world.
The Australian Journal of Public Administration published a study in 2016 to define indigenous leadership. Based on in-depth interviews of a select group of young Australian and New Zealand indigenous cohorts, it follows the indigenous participants’ experience in leading government-initiated projects.
Described as “exercising influence and working across boundaries”, the study documents how the participants view the challenges, as well as the rewards, of being an indigenous leader in a cross-cultural setting. What it found was an approach to leadership that’s rooted in their indigenous identity – proud and confident with a deep sense of community.
Being true to one’s identity is essential
The leaders highlight the importance of being true to one’s indigenous identity. Communicating your culture, where you come from and who your people were, is essential to earning acceptance as a leader.
A need to exercise agency
Despite the leaders’ previous accomplishments working in mainstream organisations, they found it difficult to get recognition and ‘buy-in’ for their initiatives. Mainstream employers expect indigenous leaders to simply execute on orders rather than exercise adaptive leadership.
Culture as a source of strength and motivation
The continuing strength of aboriginal culture is present in all interactions of indigenous leaders. It’s what drives them to connect with people within and outside their community. They view leadership as an opportunity to earn respect, acceptance and legitimacy in the mainstream society.
The bottom-line
Indigenous leaders draw inspiration from their culture and values to drive the efforts and talents of others towards a common goal. While this is too simple a definition, this does not undermine the unusually difficult challenges of an indigenous leader in the dominant, non-indigenous workplace.
The Indigenous Leadership Summit brings together inspiring indigenous leaders, human resource experts and decision-makers in private business and in government, to examine diversity and ensure greater career opportunities for indigenous people. Reserve your spot today.
