Tihei mauri ora! Māori Leadership in a Changing World
Hone Thorpe, the Business School’s kaiārahi, talks to us about leadership.
On the marae, you will hear Māori leaders exclaim, “Tihei mauri ora!” This can have many interpretations: one is that the ‘life force is alive’. It can mean ‘I am alive.’ It can also mean ‘attention, I am going to talk.’ Like these meanings, Māori leadership is diverse. It is as diverse as the marae in the country. It can be as diverse as the workplace itself. At a fundamental level, however, leadership styles for Māori are driven by the Māori belief of mauri or the energy force of the organisation.
Mauri is the energy that gives us life. It is the stored energy in an inanimate object. Everything in the Māori world has mauri. Taking care of the mauri of the organisation will ensure the well-being of the energy of the organisation and lead to its longevity. If the mauri is damaged, then the organisation will experience difficulties and may even fail. That would mean, “Tihei mauri, mate!” The life or energy force is dead!
Mauri, like people, is diverse. It is big, and it is small. Mauri can be connected. Mauri must be cared for and protected. In addition to the overall mauri of the organisation, its people and many parts will also have their mauri. There is individual and collective mauri to be attended to at all times. Suppose the many and varied mauri in the organisation are cared for through Māori values such as manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga. In that case, the organisation is more likely to remain viable and succeed as a long-term concern.
A Māori leader will be aware of mauri and the need to keep it healthy and vibrant. Whether the organisation is a profit-making business, a break-even business or a not-for-profit business, all the mauri will need to be cared for. If Māori culture is integrated into the organisation’s mission and vision, then Māori principles and values will underpin the organisation’s purpose and direction. This indicates that mauri is a fundamental aspect of the organisation, even if not stated. Māori leaders will act as if mauri is implicit in every aspect of decision-making in the organisation. Even if the organisation is a commercial operation, Māori cultural values can be incorporated through vision statements, organisational culture or even through involvement in community charitable programs such as helping young people. Mainfreight Ltd. is a good example of this.
Māori leaders may not talk about mauri as it is simply an internal belief and underpins all Māori values. Taking care of mauri also will ensure that the mana of the organisation is sustained or developed. If the mauri is weakened, the organisation will likely be weakened. Therefore, opportunities to improve mana will be limited due to parts not functioning well. There is a connection between mana and mauri. They are both strengthened through Māori values.
As the workplace becomes more diverse, there will need to be more attention paid to the mauri of a greater range of people and cultures. All cultures must be treated with respect, meaning that respective mauri must be cared for. Not one mauri can be left behind. All mauri needs to be included in the journey of the organisation. Māori leadership is always inclusive; thus, attention is paid to all people who come to the workplace with their culture. The mauri of the organisation overall will be dependent upon the well-being of the mauri of each of the peoples and their cultures who are a part of the workplace. When we are inclusive of the diverse peoples in the workplace, we extend manaakitanga to them. This manaakitanga ensures that their mauri is honoured, protected and cared for.
In traditional Māori society, the concept of mauri is central. It forms the basis of Māori leadership. It emphasises the importance of whakawhanaungatanga, or building and maintaining relationships. Furthermore, it promotes balance, harmony and connectedness throughout the workplace, regardless of its diversity. As a concept, it may not be mentioned these days, but in a world of unrelenting change, it is inherent in how Māori leaders lead. Connecting to the diverse peoples in today’s workplace through the care of mauri is a natural approach for Māori leadership.
Hone Thorpe (Te Āti Awa) is the University of Auckland’s Business School’s Kaiārahi. He helps the Business School develop strategy to bring a Te Ao Māori view into the foreground so that Māori can succeed as Māori at the Business School.
