A new definition of leadership.

Your voice, your values, your leadership - LEAD is about stepping into your space with confidence.

Secure your place in this 9-week online leadership experience.
Next cohort begins in 16 April 2026.

Āe - I'm joining LEAD today

Take a Moment to Listen.

This kōrero is for you if you’ve ever felt like leadership has asked you to leave parts of yourself behind.

 

You’re ready.

You know there’s more for you than the ‘tick-box’ version of leadership that’s all about following a western blueprint.

You’re here because you want something deeper - leadership that feels grounded in who you are, not in who you’re told to be.

LEAD is different.

It’s not about memorizing frameworks or learning a new set of ‘leader skills.’ You don’t need fixing - you already have everything you need. This is about stepping into your mana, reconnecting with your values, and owning the strengths you already carry in the form of your leadership.

What LEAD isn’t:

  • It’s not a list of leadership techniques to ‘make you a leader.’

  • It’s not about collecting more skills you don’t already have.

  • It’s not ‘lessons in listening’ that feel like an exercise in checking a box.

What LEAD is:

  • Reflective kōrero to help you uncover what your leadership really means to you.

  • Lessons in self-determination and stepping fully into your space.

  • A process that draws on the leadership strengths you already have and helps you define your own unique way of leading.

Leadership isn’t about following a script - it’s about defining your own story. You’re here because you’re ready to lead in a way that’s pono to you.

LEAD is the place where you’ll do just that.

This is your invitation - if you’ve been waiting for a tohu, this is it.

I'm ready to join LEAD

When Claudia joined LEAD, she wasn’t interested in another leadership course filled with frameworks or checklists - she was interested in something deeper.

She enjoyed a space where she didn’t have to explain herself, where she felt safe, where she could be fully seen, and she could reflect on her own leadership in a way that felt authentic and culturally grounded.

"The difference with LEAD is that it’s done in our language, our way of doing things.

I’ve done mainstream leadership courses where you learn techniques and behaviors, but LEAD shows you that you’ve already got everything you need - you just need to own it.

It’s not about learning someone else’s definition of leadership. It’s about realizing that your leadership is already yours." – Claudia Faletolu, Māori Strategist

The LEAD Programme: How It Works

LEAD is a 9-week experience designed to guide you through a journey of growth, reflection, and action. Through wānanga-style kōrero, we focus on self-reflection and supportive learning that encourages courage in a safe space - as we ask you to show up for yourself in ways that really matter. Approximately 3-4 hours per week, including live calls and self-reflection.

Each wāhanga builds on the last, guiding you from self-discovery to taking tangible action. By the end of the 9 weeks, you’ll know who you are as a leader, how you communicate and connect with others, and what it means to lead in a way that’s authentic to you.

Grounding (Weeks 1-3)

Anchor yourself in your identity, values, and purpose.

This wāhanga is all about understanding who you are as a leader and defining your foundation. It’s where you’ll pause, reflect, and set your intentions.

What you’ll cover:

Self-leadership and self-awareness - exploring your whakapapa, values, and beliefs;

Understanding how your identity shapes your leadership style;

Emotional intelligence - learning how to recognize and respond to your own patterns.

Discovering (Weeks 4-6)

Explore your strengths, beliefs, and relational leadership.

In this wāhanga, you’ll deepen your understanding of yourself in relation to others. You’ll unpack the stories you carry and gain tools to navigate relationships, communication, and collaboration with empathy and integrity.

What you’ll cover:

Relational leadership - exploring how to build connection and trust;

Challenging limiting beliefs that hold you back from stepping into your space;

Communication and active listening - showing up fully in conversations and relationships.

Emerging (Weeks 7-9)

Step forward with clarity, confidence, and your leadership legacy.

This final wāhanga is about stepping into your leadership with a clear sense of your vision and purpose. You’ll refine your leadership voice and prepare to step into your new leadership story.

What you’ll cover:

Visionary leadership - crafting a leadership vision that’s aligned with your values;

Navigating challenges with resilience and courage;

Legacy - defining what you want to pass on and how you’ll share your story.

Join LEAD now

Our MAEA™ Framework is the foundation of LEAD.

MAEA™ isn’t just a framework - it’s a pathway for leadership.

Mana | Identity

Ground yourself in who you are and where you come from. In LEAD, your leadership journey begins with self-awareness, whakapapa, and the confidence to stand in your truth.

Aroha | Connection

Leadership is relational - it’s about connection and compassion. Through reflective kōrero,and a supportive cohort of wāhine, you’ll learn to foster trust, navigate relationships, and build connections that uplift you and others.

Eke | Evolve

This is where you rise. You’ll clarify your leadership vision and develop the courage and skills to lead through challenges. LEAD gives you the tools to evolve your leadership in a way that’s aligned with your truth - what’s pono to you.

Ako | Learning

Learning in LEAD is reciprocal and applied - you’ll not only learn from expert facilitation, but you’ll also contribute to the collective learning of your cohort. Shared learning is a powerful method for building courage and taking action.

Cat Rikihana joined LEAD at a pivotal time, knowing she needed to make some decisions but feeling hesitant about taking the leap. She’d been contracting with an organisation she cared about for years, but was feeling really pulled toward finally stepping more fully into her own mahi.

"I’d been struggling to leave… I knew if I wanted to go to the next level in my business or collaborations, I had to leave some stuff behind. I came into LEAD knowing I had to make some tough decisions, and during the programme, I actually did that."

One of the most significant shifts for Cat was realising she wasn’t alone. A visualisation exercise helped her see her journey as one that, while solitary at times, was also paving the way for others.

"I pictured myself in a waka, paddling alone, feeling like I was navigating everything on my own. But then I looked back and saw all these other waka behind me—people following on the same kaupapa. That really stuck with me, reminding me I’m not as alone as I thought. Another time I saw myself with a garden machete, clearing a path through a bush. Behind me, people were following, tidying it up and paving it so the next generation had a clear path. It showed me that what I’m doing matters, even when it feels hard. It’s about making it easier for others.

I almost didn’t sign up—there was so much going on before Christmas. But I’m so glad I did. Now I feel set up really well for 2025.

Your story is yours, and no one can take it from you. Standing in your mana means knowing who you are and letting all the other stuff roll off your back."

By the end of the programme, Cat had made the decisions she’d been putting off, set her vision for an exciting rebrand, and strengthened her ability to stand tall in her truth—no matter where she stands.

Choose the Option That Works Best for You

Leadership is an investment in yourself - and in the impact you’ll make on others.
We’ve designed flexible options so you can choose the one that feels right for you.

Instalments

9x $115

Spread your payments over 9 weeks to keep them manageable.

Pay $115 today

Pay-in-full

$1,035

If you prefer to take care of it all at once, this option makes it easy.

Pay $1,035 today

Wondering if LEAD Is for you?

Here’s what you need to know.

Meet your Facilitator - Amy McLean

He uri ahau nō Waikato me Ngāti Māhanga.

I believe we are all born with leadership within us. I also believe that we can be our own biggest barrier to success when we don't recognise that leadership within ourselves.

For nearly a decade I've developed my coaching and training practice, working with wāhine in community, pakihi owners, and emerging leaders who are ready to show up in their leadership.

As the founder of Te Kāinga Wāhine, I have spent years understanding what wāhine need most to be supported, connected, and to thrive. 

I'm a Māmā to two amazing kotiro who stretch my thinking and remind me why we need wāhine Māori role models each and every day.

I've worked with 100's of wāhine across Aotearoa and the Pacific, using indigenous and Māori knowledge to redefine what leadership looks like, and to transform more wāhine into the leaders they're meant to be. 

Nau mai, haere mai e hoa. You were meant to be here. 

I'm in! Sign me up to LEAD