Running and Leadership

I have a secret obsession.

Well… maybe not an obsession but a …thing.

I love to run (ok running might be stretching it a bit but shuffling doesn’t sound as good)!

People are often surprised when I tell them because I don’t exactly look “the type”.

In fact, I look nothing like a runner.

I’m tall (5’8 or 173 cms), large-boned with plenty to love around my middle and backside but I still run and I love it!

I run for the pure joy of it.

I love being outside, feeling the sun, wind or rain on my face; being exposed to the elements.

I always feel invigorated and alive afterward.

Over the years I have run in many running events – two marathons, several half marathons, even more, 10kms.

As a kid I was in the local athletics club and ran in lots of races, mostly shorter distances, I even won a few.

So… To me running is natural.

I think leadership or being a leader is similar in many ways.

You can be leading even though it may not look like it to others.

You can be a leader even though some people may be surprised that you are because you don’t look or sound “the type”.

During your childhood, you may have been the leader that organized the kids in your neighbour to raid the peach or plum trees on the next street or build huts and fight off the other kids.

Maybe you were the captain of your sports team or schoolhouse.

Maybe you were involved in Every Girls Rally or Girl Guides and while you made not have held an “official position” most of the girls looked to you for… let’s just say… guidance.

And you may have loved doing that but as you grew up and moved through the education system and into the workforce, others (teachers, bosses, and managers) underestimated and overlooked you.

So you stopped putting yourself out there exposing yourself to the “elements”.

But in your whānau, you are the one they look to for guidance in times of need.

You are the one that takes charge because someone has to do it and if you didn’t step up, who else would?

I see this all the time in certain settings where strong, confident and capable wāhine are taking charge and getting shit done.

It’s a beautiful thing to see.

And yet in another environment, they are not so confident because some (often those with the power to influence) don’t consider them to be leaders; they don’t fit the mold… and these wāhine feel it.

And that leads me to my other secret obsession.

I want to see more wāhine taking charge, leading with confidence in all situations or at least those situations of their choosing.

Too often in the workplace, I saw fabulous hardworking wāhine toa being ignored, overlooked or just treated badly.

It needs to change.

There are a number of ways to bring about change.

You can make structural changes through legislation, regulations, and policies.

You can influence the attitudes and behaviours of others.

My approach is to inspire and empower wāhine to make the change from within; to let her inner goddess out.

And that’s why I created the Wāhine Toa programme.

It’s for wāhine in the workplace.

(It’s not really a Goddess course. You need to go to Kurawaka for that.)

Wāhine Toa works on your inner game and then moves to your outer game.

It’s not an academic course on Māori women leadership; you can go to the library and read up on that.

It’s a practical personal and leadership development course to help you be the leader you were born to be.

It will help you uncover the things you loved to do as a kid and for some reason you stopped doing.

It’s strategic and tactical.

I created it based on my research on Māori Women CEOs and my own experiences in the workplace as a recovering perfectionist, need to control everything, “only I can do it” kinda person.

You should check it out HERE!

Off for a run now!