Elders' Teachings on Leadership

What are some of the significant features of Indigenous leadership?

The "good life path" in Cree is called "miyowicehtowin."

The "good life path" in Anishinaabe is called "Bimaadziwin."

Elders teach leaders about relational and spiritual responsibilities through ceremonies such as the sweat lodge, Sundance, and other Indigenous rituals.

What are the four pedagogical components of Indigenous leadership?

Indigenous leadership is viewed as a privilege that requires humility, dedication, and alignment with cultural teachings. It is about empowering others and ensuring the sustainability of Indigenous knowledge for the next generation.

Indigenous languages and genealogies are central to leadership development, helping leaders understand their roots and cultural heritage.

Leadership practices emphasize respect for the land and its original peoples, as demonstrated by acknowledging the XwMuthkwium (Musqueam) territory at UBC.

The sweat lodge is seen as a place to "look at yourself" and initiate personal growth.

Leadership education incorporates cultural practices to address the legacies of colonialism and promote holistic health.

Leadership emphasizes collaboration within the community, encouraging the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives in decision-making processes.

Intergenerational collaboration is particularly important, as it brings together Elders, adults, and youth to share knowledge and ideas, ensuring leadership practices remain relevant and adaptive.

Involving students and younger generations in leadership committees introduces "new blood" and fresh perspectives, benefiting the entire community.

Community-based leadership focuses on respectful relationships among individuals, families, and broader networks. This relational approach is rooted in cultural values like respect, responsibility, reverence, and relationship.

Elders emphasize the importance of restoring relationships through cultural training and holistic health practices to counter the impacts of colonialism and systemic oppression.

Leadership training often takes place within the context of community, incorporating teachings from Elders, ceremonies, and service-learning opportunities.

The Longhouse Leadership Program requires students to engage in community service, applying cultural values in real-world contexts to create positive change.

Communities are viewed as repositories of cultural knowledge, traditions, and histories that inform leadership practices.

Elders, as representatives of the community, play a key role in transmitting this knowledge through storytelling, ceremonies, and mentorship.

Leadership is shaped by learning from the community's past, including the challenges of colonialism, to foster resilience and transformation.

Leadership is not seen as an individual endeavor but a shared responsibility within the community. The well-being of the community is prioritized over personal ambition or gain.

The collective wisdom of the community guides leaders in making decisions that align with shared values and goals.

Community plays a critical role in preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultural practices that are integral to leadership. This includes ceremonies, language, and ecological knowledge.

The transmission of cultural values and traditions within the community ensures that leadership remains grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing.

Leadership involves mobilizing the community to address systemic challenges such as the legacies of residential schools, racism, and cultural erasure.

Leaders work with the community to reclaim cultural values, heal from past traumas, and rebuild systems of support rooted in Indigenous knowledge.

Stories are repositories of cultural knowledge, serving as a means to pass down traditions, histories, and values across generations.

Through storytelling, Elders teach leadership principles such as respect, responsibility, and relational accountability, connecting individuals to their communities, the land, and their cultural heritage.

Storywork emphasizes the importance of connecting leadership to the land. Stories embedded in the land teach leaders about their responsibilities as stewards of the environment.

Stories also reinforce a leader's identity by rooting them in their genealogy, cultural values, and the history of their people.

Storywork (as developed by Jo-ann Archibald and referenced in the chapter) integrates Indigenous principles such as respect, reciprocity, reverence, and holism, making it a vital framework for leadership development.

Storywork guides leaders to develop self-awareness, relational accountability, and cultural humility.

Stories challenge colonial narratives and reclaim Indigenous perspectives, allowing leaders to understand and address the historical and systemic injustices faced by their communities.

They deconstruct imposed leadership models, fostering decolonized and culturally grounded leadership practices.

Elders use stories to illustrate leadership qualities through real-life experiences and cultural teachings. These narratives provide benchmarks for good leadership.

Stories convey the importance of living the "good life path," integrating integrity, relational accountability, and balance into leadership.

Stories teach leaders to approach problems holistically, recognizing the interconnectedness of individuals, communities, and the natural world.

By drawing on principles of synergy, interrelatedness, and reciprocity, stories help leaders understand their roles within a larger ecosystem.

Stories help leaders and communities address trauma and foster healing by connecting them to their cultural roots and shared experiences.

Storytelling allows leaders to process their own journeys, fostering personal growth and transformation.

Stories emphasize the relational nature of leadership, teaching that leadership is about serving and empowering others rather than personal authority or control.

They guide leaders to maintain respectful relationships with others, the land, and their communities.

Stories carry the wisdom of Elders and ancestors, ensuring that their teachings are preserved for future generations.

They provide continuity, linking past traditions to present leadership practices and future goals.

Complex concepts like respect, reciprocity, and integrity are made concrete and accessible through storytelling.

Leaders can relate to and learn from the lived experiences shared in stories, applying those lessons to their own leadership journeys.

Leadership involves service to the community and is rooted in cultural values such as respect, responsibility, reverence, and relationship.

Leaders are accountable to the well-being of their communities and future generations.

Elders are teachers, consultants, and role models in leadership.

They transmit knowledge through storytelling, ceremonies, and lived experiences.

Leadership is guided by the wisdom of Elders, emphasizing relational accountability and cultural teachings.

Leadership is informed by cultural teachings, ceremonies, and protocols such as the "good life path" (e.g., miyowicehtowin, Bimaadziwin).

Indigenous leadership integrates holistic principles, balancing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.

Learning the history and ecological practices of the land, fostering stewardship is an important aspect of Indigenous Leadership.

Revitalizing language, ceremonies, and traditions to ground leadership in cultural values is an important aspect of Indigenous Leadership.

Applying cultural teachings to benefit and uplift the community is an important aspect of Indigenous Leadership.

Preserving Indigenous languages and family histories to strengthen identity and leadership is an important aspect of Indigenous Leadership.

Stories transmit cultural knowledge, leadership values, and relational responsibilities.

Storywork emphasizes principles such as respect, reciprocity, reverence, and interrelatedness.

Stories connect past, present, and future, decolonizing leadership by reclaiming Indigenous perspectives.

The Longhouse Leadership Program is a non-credit program at the First Nations House of Learning (FNHL) at UBC, designed to provide culturally relevant leadership training.

Components include seminars, workshops, and a six-hour service-learning component.

Cultural teachings such as ceremonies, land-based education, and the acknowledgment of local territories are emphasized by the Longhouse Leadership Program.

Leadership focuses on building respectful relationships with individuals, the land, and the community.

Reciprocity and collaboration are essential for effective leadership.

Leadership involves reclaiming Indigenous cultural values and resisting the impacts of colonialism, including systemic racism and the legacies of residential schools.

Leadership is strengthened by intergenerational learning, with Elders and younger generations contributing diverse perspectives.

Leadership integrates cultural, spiritual, and ecological knowledge, promoting balance and well-being.

Emotions spread unconsciously in milliseconds (below conscious awareness).

Negative emotions activate the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), impairing learning, creativity, and problem-solving.

Positive emotions activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), enhancing well-being, cognitive openness, and neurogenesis (growth of new neurons).

Leaders must recognize and regulate their emotions, as their emotional states directly influence those around them.

Emotional self-awareness involves identifying feelings, labeling them accurately, and taking intentional steps to shift emotional states when necessary.

The unconscious transmission of real emotions means surface-level actions (e.g., "putting on a happy face") are ineffective unless the leader genuinely shifts their emotional state.

Resonant Leaders inspire and motivate others by creating positive, emotionally supportive relationships. These leaders enhance cognitive openness and innovation through their interactions.

Dissonant Leaders alienate and demotivate by transmitting negative emotional signals, which narrow attention and stifle creativity.

Coaching that focuses on hope, purpose, and future vision activates brain regions tied to creativity and engagement. This is called the Positive Emotional Activator (PEA).

Coaching focused on compliance or criticism arouses defensiveness and limits openness. This is called the Negative Emotional Activator (NEA).

The balance between PEA and NEA is critical, with an emphasis on maintaining a higher ratio of positive emotional engagement.

Emotional arousal precedes conceptualization, meaning emotions often shape our cognitive interpretations.

Leaders' emotions influence not only interpersonal dynamics but also the decision-making and problem-solving abilities of their teams.

Positive emotions foster adaptability and neural plasticity, which are essential for sustained leadership effectiveness.

Leaders who regularly arouse positive emotions in themselves and others help their teams thrive, innovate, and achieve better results.

Positive interactions engage brain regions linked to creativity, empathy, and social connection.

The Positive Emotional Attractor (PEA), associated with hope and vision, activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), which enhances neurogenesis (growth of new neurons) and cognitive openness.

Arousing positive emotions creates a mental state conducive to learning, innovation, and adaptability.

Positive inspiration reduces defensiveness and increases receptiveness to new ideas and feedback.

Inspired team members feel more connected to their work and purpose, resulting in increased motivation and productivity.

Resonant leaders, who inspire positively, build stronger relationships, which drive collaboration and commitment.

Negative emotions trigger the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), which narrows attention, stifles creativity, and induces stress.

Negative emotional contagion spreads quickly, demotivating and alienating team members.

Leaders who inspire through positivity help sustain their own effectiveness by building resilient teams and fostering a supportive environment.

Positive inspiration aligns with neural plasticity, allowing teams and leaders to adapt to challenges and thrive in changing environments.

Starting conversations with purpose and vision (aligned with the PEA) sets a positive tone and enhances openness.

When metrics or challenges follow the vision, they are more likely to be received constructively, rather than defensively.

Advances in neuroscience (e.g., fMRI) allow exploration of how leaders' actions influence brain activity and relationships.

Effective leadership is shifting from results-oriented to relationship-oriented due to the benefits of resonant relationships.

Resonant Leaders activate brain regions tied to attention, empathy, and social connection. They promote openness, motivation, and innovation.

Dissonant Leaders activate brain regions tied to negative emotions and narrow focus. They demotivate and alienate others.