From Kaikohe to Harvard: BDO Partner Solomon Dalton brings global insights home to Māori business
From Kaikohe to Harvard: BDO Partner Solomon Dalton brings global insights home to Māori business
While global Indigenous leaders each face unique environmental challenges and opportunities, they are united by their passion to see their communities flourish. That’s one of the key messages Solomon Dalton, BDO National Māori Business Sector Leader, has brought home from his recent trip to Harvard University where he took part in a four-day course, ‘Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities’.
Reflecting on his Cambridge experience, Solomon describes Harvard as “mind-blowing” - from the facilities and accommodation to the historic classrooms and the calibre of the lecturers. “Going to Harvard broadened my horizons,” he says. “Coming from Kaikohe, Harvard is a different world!”
Uniting to share ideas
The course brought together indigenous leaders from around the world to explore strategies for sustainable development and leadership. Although everyone had different experiences in accounting, business, leadership and community, Solomon says there were plenty of similarities.
"The programme was created for First Nations peoples, making the content highly relevant to us as Māori. Indigenous communities share similar experiences of colonisation, so we all found it relatable," he says.
“One of the key things we discussed was the importance of our tribes and iwi staying true to our own strategies and goals, rather than let government initiatives drive decision making for funding. It’s important for Māori organisation/business to stay aligned to their purpose, be sustainable and focus on their goals.”
Leadership was another central theme of the course. “Getting everyone’s buy-in is key. That’s the only way you can really make change,” Solomon says. I learnt this perspective from wayfinding leadership. “You know you’ve had a successful journey, and you’ve got a successful team when the navigator doesn’t have to say anything – it’s when everyone on the waka knows their roles, is accountable for their role, and does their job well.” That line has always resonated with me.
Global learnings for local communities
Solomon says the course highlighted the critical need for succession planning in family-owned businesses. “There’s a big pull between business and whanau. Succession planning is vital for us as Māori - what does succession look like for us and how can we support the next generation? What’s the exit strategy? That’s something we can all relate to, and I’ll be working with my clients on.”
Conversations around capital allocation, asset management and governance were particularly relevant for Māori communities, says Solomon. “For Ngāpuhi settlement is a hot topic and there is a lot of uncertainty, which in my view is due to lack of trust and an emphasis on the dollar value. I believe the key is developing a long-term strategy which would help clarify the pathway forward and make settlement smoother for our community.”
After a whirlwind trip, Solomon has returned to BDO Northland with new perspectives and connections. “The course validated a lot of my existing ideas but also gave me new tools to support my clients and the wider Māori community,” he says.
About the course
‘Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities’ united 85 accountants from Indigenous groups across the world, including five Māori accountants along with Indigenous peoples from Australia, Canada and America. Solomon and his fellow Aotearoa attendees are members of Ngā Kaitatau Māori o Aotearoa - the National Māori Accountants Network, and Solomon was sponsored by BDO Pakihi Taitokerau.
At BDO, we understand that people, planet and profit drive Māori business above all else and so we tailor our support for Māori business with this in mind. Learn more about our Pakihi Māori - Māori Business support here.