Lesson 2: Understanding your community

Community and Leadership

Often when we work in communities, we restrict our introductions to just credentials and professional titles that can lead to unintended consequences while working in community settings. This is because limiting ourselves to these talking points can restrict people’s ability to relate to us and see us as one of the community. Additionally, some communities may already harbor mistrust towards the settler systems and professions we represent.

As professionals, we have the duty to contemplate on what the community may wish to learn about us. We must also be ready to reveal more about ourselves beyond our institutional work. To achieve this, we may need to learn about areas we have lost touch with or are unaware of. Furthermore, we must confront our deep-seated notions of settler colonialism and capitalism and reconsider our approach to separating our personal and professional lives.

The understanding of our cultural identity is shaped by our surroundings and established from early childhood. It can either be a casual association or a guide for our daily conduct, but in either case, it offers a feeling of connection. However, for Indigenous Peoples, culture is much more than that, as it serves as a fundamental aspect of who they are, where they come from, and how they interact with their environment. Their culture comprises the knowledge passed down from their ancestors, defining traditions, customs, values, spirituality, ceremonies, language, ways of knowing and being, and their relationship with the land. Culture is woven into every part of their lives and crucial to the sustenance and well-being of Indigenous individuals and communities.

Therefore, it can be argued that if a person loses their cultural identity or feels disconnected from it, it contributes to a decline in their health and well-being because the essence of Indigenous identity lies in being involved in cultural rituals, ceremonies, and traditions.

Serving Your Community

When a tree grows be it ever so strong and large; it rots away gradually and down it goes at last, but through time another young tree shoots forth from there, and as it grows, it gathers beauty and strength.

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To become a successful leader, and serve your community, the most effective way is to simply lead. Though mistakes are inevitable, they offer significant opportunities for learning and improvement. Naturally, mistakes will be met with some criticism. Nonetheless, Theodore Roosevelt stated in one of his famous speeches that the opinions of critics who are not directly involved in leadership roles do not count. Therefore, it is beneficial to avoid paying heed to such critics and instead focus on building a structure that encourages more individuals to step forward and assume leadership roles.

Leadership development has two sides to it. On the one hand, it is concerned with the evolution of individual leadership skills. On the other hand, it focuses on developing better community leaders. However, at its core, communities are merely groups of individuals with shared interests and goals. As such, the responsibility for leadership development lies with individuals who work towards the betterment of both themselves and their community. This module caters to both these perspectives. Therefore, readers must continue to consider both viewpoints and evaluate how the available knowledge applies to their individual growth as a leader and their community’s growth towards more effective leadership. In many instances, the answers to both perspectives will record similarities.

Leadership and ethics may not be on our minds daily, but their absence is usually quickly noticed. Often, it is due to hearing or reading about issues that arose from poor leadership or ethical lapses. Other times, we may come across scenarios where we sense that having competent and ethical leaders present would make things better. Leading involves providing guidance and drive to others towards achieving shared goals. It is a crucial factor as no single individual can achieve community objectives alone. Ethics relate to conforming to society’s values and norms. They are important as they embody the societal values and regulations that everyone is expected to observe.

Organization and Teamwork

The Indigenous wholistic framework (illustrated in Figure 2.2 below) presents a depiction of Indigenous values and principles and how they’re directly related to academic programs and student services that support Indigenous students. The 4Rs to supporting Indigenous students can also be applied to working within an organization.  They include respecting Indigenous knowledge, cultivating responsible relationships, promoting reciprocity, and emphasizing relevance.

This framework is not intended to be a model that treats all Indigenous Peoples similarly. Instead, it is a model that demonstrates how the variety of Indigenous perceptions of place, language, and culture pertains to the individual, faculty, and community, both institutionally and among Indigenous communities within and beyond the institution. An Indigenous worker who is balanced in all aspects (physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional) and empowered in their identity as an Indigenous individual has their cultural integrity (Tierney & Jun, 2011) valued and respected as they progress through their professional journey.

Fig 2.2: Indigenous wholistic framework.

The Indigenous wholistic framework presents a set of guiding principles to ensure that leaders are working in a collaborative and safe space.

Respect
– Involves a comprehension of and adherence to community protocols.
– Honours Indigenous knowledge and ways of being.
– Entails a reflective and non-judgmental approach to interpreting what is being seen and heard.

Responsibility
– Acknowledges students, the institution, and Indigenous communities in an inclusive manner, while also recognizing one’s own connections to various communities.
– Continuously seeks to establish and sustain valid relationships with Indigenous communities, while simultaneously being recognized in the community as both a supporter and a representative of the institution.
– Entails an understanding of the potential impact of one’s motives and intentions on oneself and the community.
– Honours the integrity of Indigenous individuals and communities and ensures that they are not undermined or disrespected when collaborating with Indigenous people.

Relevance
– Ensures that curricula, services, and programs are responsive to the needs identified by Indigenous students and communities.
– Involves Indigenous communities in the design of academic curriculum and student services throughout the institution to ensure that Indigenous knowledge is valued and that the curriculum has culturally appropriate outcomes and assessments.
– Centres meaningful and sustainable community engagement.

Reciprocity
– Shares knowledge throughout the entire educational process, with staff promoting interdepartmental learning and succession planning among colleagues to ensure that practices and knowledge are carried forward. Shared learning embodies the principle of reciprocity.
– Involves both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people learning together. Within an educational setting, this can take the form of staff to student, student to student, and faculty to staff relationships, with each relationship acknowledging the knowledge and talents that each person brings to the classroom, workplace, and institution.
– Results in everyone involved within the institution, including the broader Indigenous communities, gaining experience in sharing knowledge in a respectful way.
– Views all participants as both students and teachers in the process.

Through this framework, front-line staff, advisors, and student services professionals can begin to appreciate the depth and breadth of relationships needed to support the whole student.

What is the Change Management Model? 

Change leadership or change management involves championing the realization of intended and genuine changes that align with the enduring vision of Indigenous self-determination. It encompasses developing and implementing collaborative ideas to achieve positive change from community leadership, wherever it may emerge. The change leader actively learns from other leaders and elders, models the vision, and motivates members of the public service to commit to and endorse the vision. They inspire others to approach their work in new, innovative ways. The change leader consistently energizes the change process and eliminates any hindrances to progress.

There are a number of recommendations for managers to consider and skills necessary to implement strategies of change. There are  four definitions of ‘change management’:
(1) the task of managing change;
(2) an area of professional practice;
(3) a body of knowledge; and
(4) a control mechanism.

As First Nations people, we have problems with any kind of change due to the stigma instilled upon us by Indian & Northern Affairs. For over 100 years we followed the rules in order to keep our villages in some form of progression which resulted in First Nations becoming experts in managing poverty. As we move into the new era of technology, First Nations are once again hit with another major change. In many cases, First Nations did not have the expertise at the local level to manage this monumental change in order to compete in the real world.

Change Management Barriers

Adapting to change is extremely difficult for First Nations, leading to self-imposed roadblocks. The underlying issue is trust, as we struggle to trust anyone to implement changes in a way that benefits our communities. There are three major obstacles that must be overcome:

First, “Change Fatigue” arises due to too many changes being implemented too quickly or without adequate preparation. Furthermore, changes are typically imposed from the top down without enough involvement from local personnel or elected officials.

Second, “Lack of Capacity” implies that some leaders have attempted to implement unrealistic targets, moving too quickly without ensuring that changes can be sustained over time.

Finally, “Lack of Understanding” occurs when changes are implemented without input from frontline workers who have to carry out the changes. These workers were unable to express their concerns that the proposed changes were incompatible with past practices.

Implementing Organizational Change

First Nations are predominantly oral and visual learners, meaning that we need to see and hear how changes will be made in order to understand the end results. Unfortunately, we often set unreasonably high standards and are overly critical of ourselves. How might we address this issue?

To overcome these obstacles, we must first create a thorough plan that outlines our goals, why we need to make these changes, and how we will achieve them. Communication is critical, and we need to identify key players and establish leadership roles. Delegating tasks is important, but we must also set achievable goals and manage expectations. Above all, we must hold individuals accountable for their actions.

Culture is of the utmost importance to First Nations, which means that any attempts to initiate change may be met with resistance throughout the organization. How can changes be implemented without disregarding cultural heritage and tradition?

One approach is to tap into people’s core beliefs, habits, work ethics, and emotions, using these traits to initiate change while also honoring cultural traditions. Good team leaders harness emotional energy and align proposed changes so that people feel part of the process from the outset. Ultimately, organizational culture is critical to the success of change management.