{"id":1,"date":"2026-03-07T06:26:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T06:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lindap.nz\/?p=1"},"modified":"2026-03-08T05:21:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T05:21:46","slug":"the-heart-i-bring-to-every-governance-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lindap.nz\/index.php\/2026\/03\/07\/the-heart-i-bring-to-every-governance-role\/","title":{"rendered":"Governance with Heart: Creativity, Community, and Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Where governance, creativity, and community meet – that\u2019s where I do my best work<\/p>Linda Potauaine 2026<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ko wai au? Who I am, and why I do this work<\/strong><\/summary>\n
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Ko wai au? Who I am, and why I do this work<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When decisions are made about our communities \u2013 where money goes, what services look like, how change happens \u2013 real people feel the impact. Our kids, our kaum\u0101tua, our neighbours. That\u2019s what has always mattered most to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m Linda Potauaine<\/strong>, and for many years I\u2019ve been sitting in the rooms where these decisions are made \u2013 on boards, forums, and governance groups across Aotearoa. My work is about making sure those decisions stay grounded in people, place, and kaupapa, not just paperwork.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

How I found myself in governance<\/strong><\/summary>\n

 I didn\u2019t wake up one day and decide, \u201cI want to be on boards.\u201d My journey grew out of community life \u2013 listening to wh\u0101nau, working alongside schools and services, and noticing where systems were helping and where they were getting in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, that led me into elected and appointed governance roles<\/strong> in education, health, social services, and community development. I\u2019ve:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Sat around tables where we decide how to support wh\u0101nau better<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Helped shape strategies so organisations can actually live their values<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Worked with people from government, community, and the frontline to find a way forward together<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I bring into those spaces is pretty simple: I listen, I ask hard questions kindly, and I don\u2019t forget who isn\u2019t in the room.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Non\u2011violence, restoration, and resilience<\/strong><\/summary>\n

One of the strongest threads running through my journey is a deep commitment to non\u2011violence and restorative practice. I\u2019ve served in governance roles for programmes that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Help people deal with conflict in safer, more respectful ways<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Build skills in listening, empathy, and communication<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Strengthen connections so communities are more resilient when challenges come<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe real change doesn\u2019t just sit in policies and plans. It shows up in how we talk to one another, how we handle mistakes, and how we bring people back in rather than push them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We never get it perfect. It\u2019s a journey, and we all falter sometimes. What matters is how we get back up and how we stand alongside those who are struggling, offering support and hope.<\/p>Linda Potauaine<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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