At the end of July, I had the opportunity to attend an educational leadership conference themed around key foundations of the success of indigenous peoples in the US. Members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, particularly tribespeople of the Oneida Nation, shared the lessons they have learned throughout history about working collectively with other nations to support the needs of their community. I appreciated the perspective and the great connections to leadership in general. Here are three traits and behaviors that were emphasized throughout the conference, and that the Confederacy shared were a key component of their success.
Humility
According to leaders within the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, humility’s importance stems from the realization it provides that we are simply one small part in the system. As such, we are not the center of society, the world or the known universe. While some might see this as a position detracting from leadership development, I believe it is a necessary frame to take, as it reminds us that we are all equal parts of the same world. When we look deeply at a given situation, we are all striving for the same goals. Humility is about recognizing that we can’t be everything to everyone, and that realization is empowering in itself. To help me strengthen my humility, I tend to surround myself with people with strengths that I will never develop, and who are not afraid to push back on the ideas I share or who are willing to put me in my place when I do something less than ideal. We all need these people to help us continue growing and remind us that humility shouldn’t be a choice. It should be a necessary element of who we are and how we lead.
Inclusivity
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy believes that all living things have a right to the Earth, and therefore need to be treated with inclusivity, and brought into decision-making when appropriate and decision-consideration and stewardship (for those living things that don’t have decision-making capability) at all other times. At the conference, a colleague and I discussed the challenges some educational systems face when talking about equity, inclusivity and belonging. Our take? Everyone who plays a role in the profession (whether student, teacher, leader, community member, etc.) should focus on the ultimate goal of student success. And that student success? It needs to be success for ALL students, to the best of each student’s ability. No one can argue that school systems are meant to support students as a primary goal. And, if we believe that, then accepting all students who walk into our schools, including them in the learning, and allowing them to express their voice and choice regarding that learning is the most important benchmark we can set.
Compassion
The Haudenosaunee have also served their members with the utmost compassion for each other. Joining different tribes with different ways of life and social and emotional structures was not easy. However, what all the nations had in common was a deep compassion for their members as well as for all indigenous peoples, humanity and living things. This compassion allowed them to set aside differences and create a culture of care that transcended nation politics that continues to this day. While the elders and tribe members who shared their stories with us also shared that cross-nation relations are not perfect, it was clear that they recognized the value of caring for the Confederacy as a whole. In my work, I strive to show my team and all those I work with that I genuinely care about them and their needs. I also work to separate compassion for people and their lives from necessary decision-making. Cultures of care don’t form because people get what they want. They form because people understand that, whether they get what they want, decisions are made with people’s interests and ideas in mind and included in the process.
Most education conferences share leadership elements through similar frames. There isn’t anything bad about that. And yet, considering leadership qualities through the lens of a profession other than education, or a societal group with lived experiences different than my own, can help us all become better leaders and people. As I traveled home after the conclusion of the conference, I felt more connected to my own internal beliefs, and more committed to embedding humility, inclusivity and compassion into all that I do.
How do you utilize these necessary characteristics within all elements of your life?
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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