Reflecting Upon Indigenous Leadership

Reflecting Upon Indigenous Leadership (604 kb PDF)

By Donald R. Day

For many generations, American Indians lived in harmony with nature. Our activities were dictated by the seasons. Sons learned how to be men and do the duties of men from their fathers; and daughters learned how to be women and do the duties of women from their mothers. Because of their accumulated experiences, elders were highly respected for their wisdom. All members of the tribe learned from the elders. We did what we needed to do in a spiritual way. This is how we lived for thousands of years. This lifestyle was altered significantly with the coming of European–Americans to the New World.

Most people understand, and even admit that American Indians were not treated fairly by government officials. European–Americans needed land to grow and prosper. They saw an abundant supply of land in the New World. American Indians were simply in the way of acquiring these lands. The fastest route to securing large tracts of land for farmers, business people, railroad and lumber barons was to remove American Indians from their lands. Government officials did many things to remove American Indians from their historical homelands. One of the most successful ways was to forcefully require American Indian children to attend missionary and boarding schools. “There was a naïve belief in the late 19th Century that if Indian youth were removed for just a few years from their parents and placed in boarding schools, they could be assimilated into white society, thus solving the Indian problem” (Reyhner, 2007, p.3). At these institutions, American Indian children were not allowed to speak their Native languages or practice their traditional ceremonies. The children were required to learn and speak the English language only. This assimilation process transpired until the mid–1950s.

In the 1960s, American Indian tribes were in the early stages of self–determination. “In 1965, a federal program was created which provided the leverage for change in Indian communities. As part of the war on poverty, Indian community action programs came into being in each Indian community. Part of the rationale underlying the war on poverty was the proposition that communities of poor people could best articulate their own needs and invent their own programs” (Lynch & Charleston, 1990, p.4). This was a time that American Indians started to regain control of their destinies. The community action programs did not last very long; most were terminated in the 1970s. “However, the new leadership was on its way by that time and there was no stopping its determination to move Indian policy, at least for education, in new directions (Lynch & Charleston, 1990, p.4).

“Civil rights activists and Indians put forward the idea that since the BIA had not been able to solve the Indian problem after more than a century of effort, the government should back off and offer assistance to tribes who could work to solve their own problems” (Reyhner, 2007, p.4). Dr. Will Antell, White Earth Chippewa and Dr. Gerald Gipp, Hunkpapa Lakota were among the first cadre of well educated American Indian leaders to emerge out of the self–determination era that made significant, and positive impacts on Indian education in the United States. Higher education for American Indians in significant numbers was becoming a reality. American Indians were not only becoming social workers, counselors and nurses, some were also becoming teachers, doctors and lawyers. American Indian women in education played a huge role in the progress American Indian educators made during the self–determination era. Dr. Rosemary Christensen, Chippewa, was among the first national education leaders. Many successful Indian women educators “….learned techniques for manipulating the power structure by building coalitions…. these leaders identify strongly with their ethnicity….” (Sullivan, 2004, p.36). Self–determination was a result of American Indians exercising the rights they negotiated when they signed treaties. It is ironic that “education”, a tool used to assimilate American Indians into the mainstream of American society, a tool used to terminate American Indian languages, and a tool used to eradicate American Indian traditions and ceremonies, was, in essence, preserving them.

After I graduated from Bemidji State University in 1977, I was hired by the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe as a Higher Education Counselor. My main duties were to help American Indian students apply for admission into college or university; help them secure financial aid to attend college or university; assist with enrolling students in the most appropriate classes; and generally assist them in “making it” through to graduation.

At the beginning of my career I was a counselor and student advocate. Basically, I was learning how to be an effective Indian educator. Like most other Leech Lake Anishinaabeg, I grew up poor and faced considerable racial discrimination through the public school system. Because of my experiences growing up as an Anishinaabe from Leech Lake, I understood perfectly what other Anishinaabeg were facing as they attempted to secure higher educations.

Later in my career, I went back to college and earned both Masters and Doctorate degrees. I was fortunate to secure jobs as a director, teacher, supervisor, and administrator. These positions allowed me to meet some very interesting people. Some of these strange, beautiful and interesting people were Will Antell, Ruth Myers, Dorothy Sam, Yvonne Wilson, Roger Buffalohead, Rosemary Christianson, Helen Klassen, Priscilla Day, Flo Wiger, Jack Briggs, Tom Peacock, Dave Beaulieu, Jerry Gipp, Tony Treuer, Dan Jones, Dennis Jones, Joyce Kramer, Judy Roy, and Melanie Benjamin. I share this with you because many of you have, and will continue to meet interesting people in your careers.

From the interesting people I have met in my journeys, I have learned many things about indigenous leadership, how to be an effective leader, and how to be a change agent where someone can make a difference. The effective change agents I mentioned above have at least two things in common: they are all American Indians, and they all significantly improved our world. Listed below are some of the lessons I learned from an indigenous perspective from these remarkable people.

Leadership Traits

Leaders are intelligent on a variety of levels. They have the ability to envision things that are possible when others may not. It takes courage and vision to accept that great things are possible. “People who lead organizations face choices that are rarely clear, where decision–making and communications are complex and where ambiguous authority is often the norm” (McGee & Smith, 2006, p.26). From historical and traditional perspectives “American Indian leaders made decisions bearing in mind the welfare of future generations” (American Indian Policy Institute, 2007, p.2). College presidents, especially tribal college presidents “….see a primary leadership function to be framing a vision for the institution that serves as a blueprint for decision makers. The vision, if both inspirational and relevant, can foster innovation across campus” (Eckel, 2007, p. 11). Leaders must keep in mind that “an institution’s role in society is not neutral” (Green & Barblan, 2004, p.15). “The community college leader should have a personal vision that is rooted in his or her spiritual center and is closely aligned to the mission and vision of the community college” (Gibran, 1970, p.32).

Leadership is earned; it is not bestowed on anyone. To be an effective leader, one must have a passion for what they do. Effective leaders work hard and long, sometimes at the expense of family and loved ones. An effective leader must include the right amount of work and family so their life is not out of balance. The indigenous leaders I have learned from do not necessarily work 8–5 jobs. They work whenever they have to for as long as they have to. They are not just talkers, they are doers. An effective leader “….takes care of him or herself along with helping others. It’s easy for many of us to get caught up in our work, and not consider our own needs” (Nagy, 2008, p.6).

Effective leaders are risk takers. Effective leaders are not afraid to make mistakes. Consequently, some leaders do make mistakes, but they do not dwell on them. Effective leaders learn from their mistakes and then move on. The more one prepares for a task the more likely the endeavor will be successful. “The challenge to higher education institutions in a pluralist society is both to be responsive to the needs of society and to create a path to new ways of being, doing, and thinking” (Green & Barblan, 2004, p.30). I have never met a truly effective leader that was not a risk taker.

On a day to day basis, effective leaders listen more than they talk. They not only listen, they actually hear what you are saying. Effective leaders have an “ability to listen on a deeper level and truly understand” (McGee–Cooper, 2008, p.3). “He or she seeks to listen receptively to what is being said and not said” (Spears, 2005, p.3). This is one of the hardest things I have had to learn in my career. Even when you do not like what you are hearing, it is important to understand what is being said. Listening and hearing what is being said is not easy. It is something that most of us need to train ourselves to do. When I was young, I thought I knew everything. Now that I am older, I find wisdom takes patience and the ability to listen and hear others.

Effective leaders attempt to understand the chaos around them. Patterns of behavior may be all around you that you are not recognizing. By understanding the chaos around your organization, you may find there are also opportunities. We miss opportunities to act most appropriately by not recognizing patterns of behavior. Like many other Indian educators, it seems like I am in some kind of crisis all the time. The key to success is to find opportunities amid the chaos. One of the most important things I have learned from effective leaders is that there are always options, even in chaos.

Many people view power and leadership as the same thing. Although they are closely related, they are different. Effective leaders have means other than power to influence people. Power used incorrectly can have negative consequences on your followers, organization, mission, students, and your community. “While fear and control may motivate people in the short run, they know this approach results in work climates where people feel less valued and, ultimately, less committed to institutional goals” (McKee & Smith, 2006, p.26). “Participants follow the leader not because of rules and regulations, but because the leader has demonstrated appropriate leadership qualities” (Badwound & Tierney, 1988, p.10). From a historical perspective, American Indian people have been discriminated against and oppressed for hundreds of years. Sometimes, people use power in an attempt to lead because it is the only way they have ever known.

Effective leaders understand that risk is just a choice away. At Fond du Lac Community College, we are instituting a “Presidential Merit Scholarship Program.” This program will award a scholarship to any student graduating from high school equaling 25% or 50% of tuition at the college if they graduate with a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or 3.50 respectively. Some are warning me that we are just giving revenue away and it will be a disaster for the college. I believe this program will accomplish a variety of things. It will keep tuition costs down which will make college more affordable to many families; it will bring in additional academically above average high school graduates; and it will bring in more, not less revenue because we will realize greater numbers of students enrolling to take advantage of this significant financial opportunity. I do not know if this will work, but for the sake of the college, I am willing to take the risk. “Presidents can alter the climate on campus. They can encourage particular types of innovation and reward efforts – even those that fail” (Eckel, 2007, p.12).

Effective leaders have many attributes. One of the most necessary attributes a leader must possess is courage. I do not mean being fearless, as we all have fears. Instead, I am referring to the courage to act even when we are afraid. “Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. Leadership is first being, and then doing. Everything a leader does reflects what he or she is” (Bennis, 1992, p.12). How many times have we passed up an opportunity to say something in public because we were too afraid to speak up? How many times have we passed up an opportunity to lead an initiative because we thought it may not be as successful as hoped for? How many times have we not acted upon an opportunity because we did not know at that exact moment what to do next? “It can be daunting to confront the issues, obstacles and people that stand in the way of the future you wish to create” (Ed Tech Journeys, 2007, p.4). Leaders need the courage to act even when they are afraid.

Effective leaders never stop learning. Effective leaders must have a well rounded knowledge base of gender issues, technology, organizational administration, ethnicity, psychology, legal issues, politics, the needs of the young, the elderly, the disadvantaged, the wealthy and so forth. “At a minimum, it will necessitate the ability to collaborate and communicate with fluency across a wide range of cultures, races, religions, and socioeconomic groups” (Walsh, 2006, p.29). The world is moving fast in many ways and it is critical that effective leaders have a large knowledge base of many things.

Effective leaders must have integrity in everything they do and say. “Faithfulness is something that you do when you know that this is what you have to do. You do not do it because somebody is watching you or because you want to impress somebody” (Manuel, 1965, p.2). Effective leaders must keep their word when they give it. Once the trust is gone, there is not a lot left. Your employees, colleagues, family and children are all watching you. You are their role model. You have more influence on them than you can possibly imagine. It is hard to be “on” all the time, but it is the destiny of an effective leader. No one wants to work with, nor follow someone who does not have integrity. “Being in integrity with our purpose brings on a more powerful presence. When you are living your purpose it is easier to speak the truth and inspire others” (Ed Tech Journey, 2007, p.3). “Effective leadership comes from an inner core of integrity and yet is not fixed, stubborn, or implacable” (Walsh, 2006, p.21).

Effective leaders must have good character. “Research at Harvard University indicates that 85 percent of a leader’s performance depends on personal character” (Bennis, 1999, p.20). Effective leaders will not blame everyone else for their problems. They will not spend time putting other people down in an attempt to bolster themselves or their initiatives. People in leadership positions understand that in every decision they make, they will be praised by some while others will question their competence. Because of some decisions I have made in my career, I have had my professional abilities called into question. I try hard not to get into verbal arguments with people who disagree with decisions I have made. What I do in response is to work as hard as I can, attempt to make my decisions work, and treat people with respect. After that, let people make up their own minds about who is competent and who is not. I have found that when you do things with a “good heart” and for reasons you think are right, things usually turn out fine. “The challenge for campus leaders is to embrace the public agenda while also staying true to their own broader missions and purposes” (Eckel, 2006, p.19). An inevitable aspect of being in a leadership position is being challenged for the decisions you make.

Effective leaders surround themselves with capable people they trust. Most employees are competent, but not outstanding. Being competent but not outstanding is okay and natural. When an effective leader comes across an outstanding employee, they give that person room to grow so they can use their abilities in their positions.

Effective leaders will treat people the way they want to be treated themselves. Generally, people are fragile, even those who act tough. Words can hurt more than we realize. Like an arrow shot in the air, words will hit someplace. Like an arrow, once you shoot off a word, it is gone to wherever it is going. A person can hear ten compliments in a day and one derogatory remark; yet they will dwell on the derogatory remark the rest of the day, not the compliments. Sometimes a person has to be talked to about performance expectations, but it can and should be done in a manner that is respectful. Effective leaders understand that employees, from time to time, need to be talked to about performance expectations and sometimes, to be praised for their work performance.

Effective leaders attempt to understand where difficult people are coming from. What I have discovered about some difficult people is that they believe they have missed out on something or feel they have been cheated out of something. Often they are angry about it and want to blame somebody so it makes sense to them. A variety of times in my career I have sat down with a difficult person to try to understand what is bothering them. By being able to understand what is troubling a difficult person, a course of action may become apparent. Sometimes, one can not only disarm a difficult person, but can actually create a means for them to support you. An effective leader will attempt to understand the difficult person’s point of view. They do not have to agree with the point of view, just understand it.

Effective leaders need to have a “thick skin.” You will be praised and scorned for almost every decision you make. “It takes courage to live in integrity with one’s beliefs” (Ed Tech Journeys, 2007, p.4). Because of budgetary reasons, I laid a couple of employees off not long ago. This was a difficult thing for me to do. I feel it is almost inhumane to lay off employees when they are competent and doing their jobs. The decision to lay off the people I did was based on what would hurt the college the least. “A leader is a person who leads his people, who does not conform to the status quo. He’s a person that looks past disappointment and is willing to endure ridicule, scorn – all these things which we sometimes feel now are not part of the leadership qualities” (Manuel, 1965, p.2). Leaders are not always perceived of as the “good guys”, especially in times of scarcity.

Effective leaders believe that people are doing the best they can. Effective leaders have “a deep belief in the unlimited potential of each person and that the leader’s role to invite, develop and encourage this valuable resource” (McGee–Cooper, 2008, p.2). All of us will do and say something dumb from time to time. The following is an example of a dumb thing I did, not long ago. Our Law Enforcement Program is one of the finest, if not the finest law enforcement program in the State of Minnesota. Graduation from the program is in July of each year. As the president of the college, I am invited to welcome everyone and say a few words. Last year, I thought the graduation started at 10:30 AM. Apparently it started at 10:00 AM. I walked in about 15 minutes late and the keynote speaker had already started his speech. Fortunately, the students and faculty did not get too upset with me, they understood I just did a dumb thing.

The majority of things I have written about so far are, more or less, common sense. But try to apply the principles I have stated here into your particular position as a teacher, student, principal, manager, director, coordinator, mother, father, brother, sister and you will discover it becomes a real challenge. Try to apply these ideals into a relatively dysfunctional world and you will find it very challenging.

The Path of the Warrior (Ogichidaa)

The remarkable Indian educators I am basing this article upon are striving to be more than what they are. Not for money, power or fame, but for a larger purpose, the welfare of humanity. These people are protectors of the people around them, the society they serve, the environment, and their loved ones. The Anishinaabeg call these protectors “ogichidaag”, or warriors. A warrior does not necessarily beat up bad guys or save others from being killed. Although this may happen, it is improbable. In the context of which I am writing, warriors do not steal or cheat. They work hard and play hard; they are involved in many things. They are great role models and they all make a significant difference in the lives of people they touch.

Here is an example of an ogichidaa, a warrior. In 1968–69, I was a ninth grade student in high school. I was required to take history classes that, at the time were very boring. Including myself, ten Anishinaabeg students were in class. One day we had a guest speaker named Roger Buffalohead. In 1968–69, Roger was a big, muscular Indian from the Ponca Tribe. He was also an Indian Educator working in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Roger talked to our class about the contributions American Indians made to American society. None of us Indian students ever met a well educated American Indian before. Roger was twice as smart and articulate as our history teacher. Through his words and knowledge base, Roger made a huge impression on me and the other Indian kids in class. The first time in my life I ever thought about actually going to college was after Roger talked in my history class. Sometimes, one does not know the impact their words and actions have on others.

I believe the more we follow the “Red Road”, the path of the warrior, we are more likely to avoid alcohol or drug abuse, retain a positive attitude; and become more spiritual. For many American Indian people, “success depends on how strong students are tied to their culture” (Rodriguez, 1997, p.1). “The foundation of our leadership journey is our life’s purpose” (Ed Tech Journey, 2007, p.5). Many different things can set a person on the Red Road. Helping a friend through a difficult time, donating time or money to a cause you believe in, helping a stranger, or giving acknowledgement and respect to someone not as fortunate as you are.

For many of us to become leaders, we will need to make changes in ourselves. The time to make these changes is now. We must put our ideals into practice. We need to start walking the talk. We must take responsibility for ourselves and all the things we do and don’t do. Children have a hard time with this, adults shouldn’t. Leaders “take responsibility for the world they live in and are committed to making it better” (Hunt, 1999, p.12). Everyone I have ever met is a fascinating and complex story. Everyone I know is in a relationship, thinking about getting into a relationship, or thinking about getting out of a relationship. Warriors need to take responsibility for everyone. “Within Indian societies, a prevailing concern exists for the welfare of the group” (Badwound & Tierney, 1988, p.9). It may not be fair that it should be this way, but the strong should always take care of the ones who are struggling so they may become strong themselves one day. “If you are a leader, you take care of people. You show respect. For example, in the old days, if you were a leader you saw that everyone else was fed before you and your family” (American Indian Policy Center, 2008, p.4). “Whatever your purpose, it must be rooted in your most cherished personal values” (Ed Tech Journey, 2007, p.3). This is a part of being on the Red Road, the way of the warrior.

The Choice of Action

A variety of people I know, a significant number actually, believe they are not going anywhere, so there is no hurry to get there. This sounds simple until you think about it. Right now, how you exist on this earth is the only thing you can really impact. I do not believe that any one thing can make anyone truly happy. If you could make a wish and that wish would come true, what would you wish for? Let us pretend for a moment that the following wishes are your wishes and they all came true: you earned a bachelor’s degree; secured a job as a teacher in your community with a starting salary at $80,000 a year; earned a master’s degree; bought a big boat and lake home; and then won the lottery. After every wish you made came true, what would you wish for then? Perhaps what you wanted before all these wishes came true. You want to be loved, respected, content, fulfilled and happy. Perhaps what you wanted all along was to be good at what you are doing right now: a good mother, father, athlete, counselor, teacher, student or leader. You are not really going anywhere, so there is no hurry to get there. This is it, right now, every day, we have another chance to be more than what we currently are.

From time to time in your career, you will be confronted with doing what is right versus doing what is easy. Most of the time they are the same thing, but every now and then, they are not. “Leaders have the power to help create culture” (Tyler–Scott, 1999, p.1). Sometimes it is hard to tell your reality to someone. Sometimes it is hard to tell your perspectives to someone. Sometimes it is hard to state the truth when you believe no one really wants to listen.

Personally, I am going to live my life with as much gusto as I can every day. I want to be as conscience as I can every minute of every day. I want to push my mind and body further than they want to go. I want to experience everything. Mostly, I want my life to count for something. The best way for me to make my dreams a reality is to be in the service of others. At this point in time, I am working at a totally awesome college with an array of impressive faculty and staff who are making a difference. We are all connecting points to the next generation. It is our turn and our responsibility to be the next “greatest generation.”

Some of you will discover that you will become tired of asking for permission to do something to support and promote cultural diversity, ecological initiatives, environmental issues, women’s rights, the rights of American Indians and so forth. Now is the time to empower ourselves. We can empower ourselves by earning a higher education; learning from effective leaders; listening to our elders; and when possible, attending our ceremonies.

For American Indians to effectively and efficiently exercise self–determination, we need to be excellent at what we are doing now. American Indians need to join boards and associations, attain cabinet level positions, earn teaching licenses and become great teachers, and join organizations that benefit all of society. “Leading wisely involves a balance between personal philosophy, vision, pedagogical knowledge, and a willingness to transcend daily challenges and/or political struggles” (Portugal, 2006, p.3). By empowering ourselves, as individuals and as tribal members, we can expand on the self–determination our current and past leaders have secured for us.

As you move forward with your lives and careers, convey a clear message to the people you live and work with that we should not be afraid. We must not be afraid to love, pray, laugh, listen to the beat of a different drum, use education, learn from our elders, or attempt something we have not tried before. We have to learn to control our fears. Fear does not dictate, but influences our every decision and action. Fear can influence how we talk to our bosses, colleagues, employees, students and loved ones. Everyone has problems. To a large extent, the measure of a man or woman is his or her ability to deal with those problems.

We live in a very complicated, convoluted and polarized world. It is okay to be different. The world would be very boring if everyone was alike. It is not only okay to look outside the box and try new things, it is our responsibility to do what we can for our children and our people. There is no better time for action than now.

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Sponsored by the Fetzer Institute, Kalamazoo, MI.

How to Cite this Article

APA

Day, D.R. (2008, Spring). Reflecting Upon Indigenous Leadership. Bemaadizing. Retrieved [add date of access], from http://www.bemaadizing.org/2008/04/02/reflecting-upon-indigenous-leadership/

MLA

Day, D.R. “Reflecting Upon Indigenous Leadership”. Bemaadizing. Spring 2008. [add date of access], <http://www.bemaadizing.org/2008/04/02/reflecting-upon-indigenous-leadership/>.