Reflection written by So’o Leatigaga, Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children
So, heading into day one of the programme, I had no expectations. I arrived cold. I had done no pre-reading or extra research about the programme. It was hectic at work so I couldn’t fit it in even if I tried to. But I consciously arrived with an open mind, lacking sleep from the night before, but full of quality caffeine from Prefab-ACME café.
The formal welcome on day one was lovely, and our first morning tea break allowed the group to mingle. It also gave me an opportunity to check my work messages, as well as the personal ones from my daughter about my cat and her social life. I was also worried about the risk of her burning down the house.
Adjusting from a frenetic pace at work, and demanding teenage daughter at home, to a deliberately slower tempo on day one, was difficult. But it was exactly what I needed to settle into this new space with new people. They seem like a good bunch.
We used a lot of common public sector language to describe our work dramas and the words “budget” and “finance” occasionally came up. Yay!
As day one progressed, two questions were at the front of my mind: What leadership tools and resources will this programme provide me to enhance my leadership skills? And what differentiates this programme from all the other leadership programmes?
Unsurprisingly, given my work background, I was in ‘return-on-investment mode’, so these questions would inevitably pop up. And while I kept these questions tucked away, I also accepted that the answers to these questions may or may not become obvious until later on in the programme. This was, after all, the first of seven retreats. I told myself to chill. And we were encouraged to “trust the process.”
As part of the overview for the next three days, I was delighted to learn that the main focus was on us. Yes, on moi. But in a more holistic and fun way. And, having sat through an introductory session with Louise Marra, we appreciated the message that we needed to be kind to ourselves.
Louise used a colourful visual to illustrate the three states of our nervous system – dorsal vagal (freeze), sympathetic (flight or fight), and ventral vagal (safe and social). We were reminded that our main day-to-day operating states were the sympathetic and dorsal ones. Slightly depressing. But the good news was that Louise was committed to helping us explore tried and true ways to respond to the dorsal and sympathetic states, and still be able to live a life of depth, fullness, and wholeness.
Other insights gained were a better understanding of the concept of Mana Moana (and its) framework, intent, and wider application. The framework provides a unifying theme that connects people through common language, stories, and use of other resources from the Ocean. So, what does this mean? For me, it means we have a rich resource to draw from, thanks to three thousand years of wisdom. It also provides an opportunity to build on this legacy.
The second part of the framework to help shape my leadership was the focus on wellbeing and healing through the frame of indigenous Pacific knowledge. One assertion of this view is that the quality of our health and wellbeing is directly proportional to the quality of our “va”. (Va means relationships, but it also means space – the space between us and all the others)
The first retreat was overwhelming and challenging. It stirred me to ask myself: Who am I? And what do I stand for?
So’o wrote this following Vā Tupuna, the first retreat of seven in Tū Mau Mana Moana.
Tū means to stand, arise, be, to be upright in 48 of our languages – it is Austronesian in origin and one of our most ancient source languages. At its zenith, Tū or Kū is the archetype of humanity - of the god of war, of the realm of humankind.
Mau is in 47 of our languages and is linguistically categorised as Polynesian in origin. It refers to seeking, finding, persisting, holding on to, firmly and tightly. Mau is a well-known movement of liberation and a calling cry to reclaim power.
Together, these words create Tū Mau – to stand and hold, to be firm and seek. The approach and orientation of this programme is designed specifically for Pacific peoples seeking to lead in the public sector.
Find out more about Tū Mau Mana Moana here.