On October 18, Minerva BC released its third edition of the Face of Leadership™ Score Card measuring gender diversity in BC’s 50 biggest revenue-generating companies. For three years, the Score Card has consistently recorded zero women of Indigenous descent on boards and senior management teams.
We asked three Indigenous leaders to share their perspectives on these results, and why it’s high time to do better.
Lisa Tallio, Director of Combining Our Strength™, Minerva BC
Let’s answer this calling by creating culturally safe and inclusive environments through building successful relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities, and promote Indigenous peoples into leadership. Reconcile the history of Indigenous peoples and recognize their unique leadership gifts. Let us truly appreciate the contributions of Indigenous peoples in business, politics, social and economic development. Let us promote Indigenous peoples to benefit equally, as much as they contribute, from Canada’s prosperity. The truest leadership really is about your capacity to lead and promote others.
Denise Williams, Executive Director, First Nations Technology Council
A province experiencing extraordinary economic growth, progressive leadership and movement in truth and reconciliation, must do better than zero.
It is important to reflect on this finding and let it resonate that zero means that we have not yet even begun to experience how Indigenous women will contribute to the shaping of society at this level, and how their wisdom and leadership will strengthen generations to come, our communities today and the country as a whole.
We must continue to challenge ourselves as Indigenous women to continue stepping forward into these spaces and raising our voices. We must also, collectively, continue to push for greater engagement, transparency and bold movement toward equality, access and shared liberation.
Teara Fraser, Founder, Raven Insitute
Let’s answer this calling by creating culturally safe and inclusive environments through building successful relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities, answer by promoting Indigenous peoples into leadership. Reconcile the history of Indigenous peoples and recognize their unique leadership gifts. Let us truly appreciate the contributions of Indigenous peoples in business, politics, social and economic development. Let us promote Indigenous peoples to benefit equally, as much as they contribute, from Canada’s prosperity. The truest leadership really is about your capacity to lead and promote others.
Indigenous women have been matriarchs, knowledge keepers, healers, and sophisticated entrepreneurs since time immemorial. Including important and powerful voices of Indigenous women, at all levels, in leadership roles we will see a whole new world of learning, leadership, and performance.
