Working within Leadership New Zealand as Programme Leader and other roles was a game changer for me in my career. Here was a space where I was surrounded by leaders of all backgrounds, committed to the service of others (especially the many wāhine toa who taught me strength and resilience). After a few years working with participants on the Leadership New Zealand programme and other LNZ events, my understanding of true transformative leadership became an intrinsic motivator for the rest of my career.
Leadership New Zealand influenced me to seek out opportunities to develop leader identity in our rangatahi, to be part of the future of leadership, specifically for young women and girls who I saw lacking opportunity to lead and not seeking opportunities to lead in a transformative way (for self). My time at LNZ lit a fire in me to seek out learning opportunities to develop my knowledge and capability to lead. I spent the next few years completing a Master of Educational Leadership focusing on the development of leader identity in young women, and training as a transformative coach underpinned by positive psychology.
Fast forward a few years and I have my own business, The Future You Project Aotearoa, focused on coaching and building resilience and wellbeing in young women and girls across Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The Future You Project Aotearoa promotes healthy minds and strong spirits, bringing girls back from perfectionism narrative and the abounding expectations attached to being a “good girl”. We focus on positive psychology approaches that draw out the joy and magic of letting go of unhelpful thoughts and beliefs systems. We create a safe space in which to explore their own barriers and build resilience, and an awareness of all the external and internal pressures they face, giving them skills and resources to deal with them. We value working alongside communities (iwi group, community members and organisations) to harness the wisdom and knowledge of those who are the most invested in improving the lives of their rangatahi. Without being part of the LNZ whanau I may never have sought out opportunities to enhance young women’s experiences nor understood the importance of deeply knowing the significance of being a leader to self, and/or others.
In essence, my takeaway from Leadership New Zealand lies in this whakataukī. To me, “he tāngata“ means that people — individuals, whānau and communities — sit at the heart of what I do.
“He aha te mea nui? Māku e kii atu, he tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in the world? Well, let me tell you, it is people, it is people, it is people.”
Vicky Pond Dunlop is Founder and Director of The Future You Project Aotearoa, and worked as Programme Manager and Business Support Manager with Pūmanawa Kaiārahi o Aotearoa Leadership New Zealand from 2009-2012.