Don’t limit where life can take you: Director
Ngaio Marama, business innovation director at Tui Ora, defines success as being part of an organisation that is aligned with her personal values, which tells you a lot about the way this accomplished wāhine operates.
She is a well-known figure in the Taranaki business world, having held leadership positions at Taranaki District Health Board, Methanex and Powerco, as well as four years as chair of the New Plymouth Girls’ High School Board of Trustees.
Starting out, Ngaio considered being an accountant after enjoying economics at school and went to do a Bachelor of Management Studies at the University of Waikato.
“Once I got into my study, I was drawn to management systems and the holistic thinking this discipline requires, so moved away from accounting and majored in that,” she says.
After graduation, she joined the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) management consulting team, learning the ropes of consulting, focusing on large-scale technology projects in exciting places like New York, London, Vancouver and throughout Australia.
“This was a great first job because I had access to good training and worked for some inspiring senior consultants who were awesome mentors. It also taught me that you are only as good as your last job and to not become complacent.”
The tools of Ngaio’s trade are collaboration, teamwork, commitment and belief in a shared vision, which is why her relatively new role at Tui Ora has been a perfect fit for her.
“I’ve been trying to discover for quite some time what I was looking for in my professional journey, and working in a te ao Māori way where people are put first has turned out to be the solution hiding in plain sight,” she says.
“I think all those in business would benefit from collectively ‘unlearning’ western management mindsets that promote individualism, putting people in silos and placing unrealistic demand on the resources in our natural world.
“Tui Ora is a great space to be, where the courage to be innovative is encouraged, and we are on an exciting trajectory right now, supporting hauora/well-being in such a holistic and life-affirming way.”
An expansive mindset in her approach to life and work, continually making new friends and learning new things, has been key to her success.
“Right now, I am focusing on becoming ‘comfortable with being uncomfortable’ – being OK to do things that scare you a bit or are hard and doing them anyway.
“In the past, I have been given opportunities that felt like sink-or-swim moments and found out that I was a swimmer, so I want to keep striking out into unknown waters, if you like.
“On a personal level, I am working on connecting to my Māori whakapapa (Ngāpuhi) and learning the history and stories of my hapū and iwi.”
For any woman looking to succeed in business, overcoming the infamous ‘glass ceiling’ can be a real challenge, but Ngaio says hard work and always delivering results is what has seen her through.
Being comfortable to offer your contribution in meetings and teams when you are the only woman in the room has also been key.
“Having someone who inspires you to keep going is great, too. I currently look to our Pou Tū Kūrae (CEO) at Tui Ora, Alana Ruakere, as she is a very inspiring leader who is brave and authentic. She demonstrates the most manaakitanga of anyone I know and has worked hard in her career to learn and grow her leadership.
Ngaio believes International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate women, and, more importantly, to encourage our girls and young women to believe in themselves.
“My one piece of advice to any woman starting out would be ‘Don’t limit where your life can take you’.”