Leading with language and respect

With Aotearoa New Zealand’s population shifting and the Māori economy continuing to grow, directors are being called to better understand who their stakeholders really are – and how to build partnerships that reflect the values of this place.

That includes working alongside iwi, Māori businesses and communities – and knowing how to do that authentically. It starts not with a contract, but with culture: understanding the protocols, values and ways of working that sit at the heart of te ao Māori.

Stacey Mareroa-Roberts MInstD, facilitator of the Hine Matarau Wāhine Leadership Programme, says creating culturally safe spaces is essential for authentic partnerships to grow.

“It’s important for leaders to understand how Māori knowledge systems operate – and how they’re expressed through te reo Māori, ceremony and everyday activity.”

Stacey Mareroa-Roberts - Ngāti Ranginui, Ngai te Rangi, Ngāti Awa, Whakatohea, Ngāti Whakaue, Te Rarawa Whakapapa

Stacey says you don’t need to be fluent in the language to build trust. But you do need to show respect for the values and ways of relating that underpin Māori business and leadership.

“Key elements of doing business are built on relationships, care and the stewardship of resources. Those things come first.”

For Māori, land, whakapapa and leadership are tightly woven – passed down across generations, carried in stories, and lived out in the way decisions are made.

Leadership, unconferenced

Stacey recently took part in a global gathering of Indigenous women leaders in Canada – an “Un-Summit” grounded in the land and guided by connection, not credentials.

With no panels or PowerPoint slides in sight, the gathering invited participants into a space of presence, play and shared purpose.

“It was permission for all women and non-binary folk to show up as they are, to lead with relationships first – and ask, ‘What’s the world we want to create together?’”

What emerged was more than networking. Stacey describes it as a form of rematriation – Indigenous wāhine reclaiming space, leadership and collective healing.

“When we lead right in relationships, the business that follows becomes natural, relevant and more impactful.”

Stacey says that for wāhine Māori, stepping into leadership isn’t just about being appointed – it’s about showing up fully, in their own right and being supported to do so.

“Wāhine Māori must give themselves permission to be bigger, to own the space, and to have the willingness to be front and centre. This is increasingly important as wāhine Māori move into leadership roles.”

Governance is relationships 

Dr Corrine Seals, Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at Victoria University, says the Government’s 2025 decision to remove te reo Māori from children’s books lacked academic evidence and will have long-term implications, including for those in governance.

“It’s absolutely shocking. We’re a bicultural nation. The average New Zealander has a receptive vocabulary of over 100 Māori words – so denying that is denying part of the nation’s identity.”

Seals is the director of Translanguaging Aotearoa, a Royal Society research programme that investigates how people move between different languages, including their mother tongue. Removing bilingualism also removes the benefits, with wide-ranging impacts on community wellbeing.

Names carry stories

Tawa Campbell-Seymour MInstD, Executive Manager Māori Business at ASB and a director for his iwi Te Whakatōhea, says language and leadership are inseparable.

“Māori names aren’t random. They carry whakapapa – ancestors, places, stories. When someone takes the time to say a Māori name properly, it’s a form of respect. But if it’s said carelessly, it can feel like that story, that ancestor, is being dismissed. Getting it right matters.”

Tawa Campbell-Seymour MInstD

Tawa notes that for iwi, governance isn’t just about financial return – it’s about values and balance.

“Of course, we need to make a return, but it’s so we can provide for our people – social and cultural outcomes matter just as much. So does the environment. At a minimum, we avoid harm to Papatūānuku [Mother Earth], and ideally, we enhance her.” 

Tea before business

One of the key differences in working with iwi is that business comes after relationship – not before. “We often say it takes a thousand cups of tea. And we mean it. That time matters. It builds the trust that makes any partnership work.” 

For boards, that means being willing to listen, to build slowly, and to bring the right people into the room. 
“Appoint Māori to meaningful leadership roles. Include Māori in recruitment panels. Don’t make token appointments – build roles that reflect your values and let people lead.”

Building organisational cultural capability isn’t a box to tick, he says – it’s part of being ready for partnership.

“Ultimately, you’ve got to make decisions that reflect your organisation’s values. If those values are authentic, people will feel it – and want to work with you.” 

“Now, my views are being invited or shared in different conversations and contexts [as the expert] to provide a Māori lens. It's much easier when you get invited to contribute, rather than trying to force your opinion into the conversation.  

“That shows progress – te ao Māori is being recognised, not as an afterthought or cultural checkbox, but as an essential worldview that adds depth, balance, and relevance to decision-making.”

Tools that support the journey

For directors and executives beginning (or deepening) their cultural capability, having the right tools on hand makes a difference.

The Institute of Directors’ Hautū app helps members build confidence with te reo Māori and tikanga in governance settings. It includes pronunciation support, business-specific greetings, pepeha guidance, and tools to help with meeting protocol and acknowledgements.

Whether you’re opening a hui or just wanting to better connect with Māori colleagues, Hautū can support you along the way.

Download Hautū via Apple Store or Google Play, and bring cultural capability into the boardroom.