Tukutuku Pūrākau

In many contemporary leadership contexts, creativity is celebrated as an individual gift — a spark of originality that sets one person apart. In traditional Māori thought, however, a talent for creativity (pūmanawa) is not solely an individual’s good fortune, but the collective wealth of the kin group, the iwi, and the community (Mead, 2003). Its role is not only to inspire, but to enhance the quality of life, transform the environment, and apply the stamp of culture upon the world we move in.

In a recent article by Rosey Nathan about the 2025 NZ L&D Leadership Summit, hosted by Business Insights Asia Pacific, she highlighted a conversation on the 70:20:10 learning model (Lombardo & Eichinger, 1996; McCall, Lombardo, & Morrison, 1988). The discussion, led by Andrew Patterson with Ram Lingam (Watercare Services Limited), Andrea Duncan (Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora), and Roxanne Pascoe (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise), raised critical questions about whether enough investment is made where it matters most — in experiential and social learning.

Leadership is not one-size-fits-all. The way we guide others — and ourselves — is shaped by our values, experiences, and the unique demands of the moment. Eric Partaker’s (2025) 9 Styles of Leadership offers a useful way to think about the different ways leaders can operate.

In times of uncertainty, decision-making can feel heavy, risky, and uncomfortable. Yet research shared by David Tuckett in the MIT Sloan Management Review (Tuckett, 2025) suggests that some leaders navigate these moments with greater clarity and confidence — not by removing uncertainty, but by engaging with it differently.

At Manawa Kōkopu, the Kura Poutama – Poutama IQ Ascent Series is grounded in the belief that transformation often begins in moments of stillness and clarity — those times when something vast, beautiful, or deeply moving shifts how we see ourselves and our place in the world. Recently, I came across a powerful article by Claire Sullivan (2022), Reaching One’s Potential Through Awe, which speaks directly to this transformative power. It offers both research-backed insights and practical guidance on how awe can help us move toward our fullest potential.

The image accompanying this article was taken by my mokopuna, Chayton Mankelow (11), while out exploring Pākihikura — the newly developed Ōpōtiki Harbour. As the oldest mokopuna, he carries a natural leadership role, setting an example for his younger siblings, uncles, and cousins. While guiding his siblings and showing them how to jump and balance through the space, he was drawn to the environmental landscape and paused to capture this photo. He also reflected on how his mātauranga grows through his engagements with whānau, te taiao, and his schooling journey at Te Kura Mana Māori o Whangaparaoa — sharing that he thought the sky looked beautiful and the sunset was “awesome". This moment captures something essential to the development of mātauranga, the experience of awe, and the shaping of leadership — the way kōrero, lived engagement, observation, relationship with the natural world, and personal reflection weave together to shape how we come to know, understand, and be in the world.

Cultural competency is vital across health, education, and social sectors — yet it often remains superficial, reduced to box-ticking rather than lived understanding. My current doctoral research, which underpins the Poutama IQ Ascent Series, reframes cultural competency through a kaupapa Māori worldview, one grounded in relationality and identity — positioning it as a transformative practice rather than a compliance measure.