💥 Good Intentions Do Not Share Power

🫸 I recall attending a Law Society function in Tauranga, 2015. As the Managing Solicitor of Baywide Community Law, I took along our new, young Māori lawyer, Hemi. During the function, he quietly asked me to count the number of Māori lawyers amongst the 50 + attendees. To my horror, I realised he was the only Māori, in a room full of Tauranga's solicitor firm partners, associates, and lawyers

📊 Employment and HR professionals spend a lot of time talking about equity, diversity, and inclusion. But Indigenous leadership is still under-represented at senior levels, even 10 years later in 2025

🫷 The reason isn’t lack of talent. It’s because systems and pathways weren’t designed with Indigenous leaders in mind

⁉️ So the question for Employment practitioners is: how do we move from good intentions to measurable impact?

#️⃣ Here are seven practical steps that I propose:

✍ 1. Start with data and dialogue

Run cultural demographic audits, but don’t stop there. Back up the numbers with kōrero - hui, focus groups, one-on-ones. Data shows the map; dialogue shows the meaning

✍ 2. Check where people sit

Diversity isn’t just a headcount. Look at which levels Indigenous staff occupy. Are they clustered in front-line roles, or represented at decision-making tables?

✍ 3. Invest in a cohort

Leadership doesn’t just “emerge;” it’s developed. Work with managers to identify aspiring Indigenous leaders and give them tailored development, mentoring, and cultural wānanga

✍ 4. Move from consultation to co-creation

Inclusion isn’t asking for feedback at the end. It’s embedding Indigenous perspectives at the start of strategy and planning

✍ 5. Put support structures in place

Mentorship, coaching, and peer networks matter. Build systems that connect Indigenous staff with those who’ve walked the path and protect against burnout

✍ 6. Develop the system, not just the people

There’s no point growing Indigenous leaders if the wider system doesn’t change. Build cultural capability across the organisation. Executives must model this

✍ 7. Create clear pathways to the top

Design transparent progression plans. Celebrate Indigenous leadership success stories. Pathways should be bridges, not barriers

💫 Why this matters for Employment and HR functions

This isn’t about ticking a diversity box. It’s about fairness, representation, and unlocking the leadership potential already within our workforce

Indigenous leadership strengthens organisations. It challenges blind spots, broadens decision-making, and deepens community connection

And here’s the kicker: Employment professionals and HR are uniquely placed to make it happen. From recruitment to promotion, we design the systems. If we don’t take responsibility, who will?

🚨 Final thought:

Indigenous leadership doesn’t grow by default. It grows by design. Seven deliberate steps can turn intent into impact. And the time to start is now.