How the next generation can learn from Tribal practices

In a world where information is just a computer keystroke away, it’s sometimes hard to remember that obtaining wisdom from information requires a great deal more effort. I was reminded of that during a recent lecture at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Harvard was established in 1636, 140 years before our nation’s Declaration of Independence from British rule. The university’s Charter of 1650 pledges its commitment to “the education of English and Indian youth.” It’s hard to know what that statement actually meant in 1650, but it likely didn’t mean equity in education access or diversity of education content. However, Harvard, like many other universities in our nation, has taken intentional steps to address those areas and is now clearly committed to educating all students about Native American culture.

I was invited to serve as a guest lecturer in late March before Harvard’s Native Americans in the 21st Century — Nation Building II course. The class is part of the

“Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development,” which was first introduced in 1987. This particular course was led by Eric Henson, who is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and has been a research fellow/affiliate with the Harvard Project for 25 years.

I found the students to be very familiar with, and interested in, the governance and accountability present in the processes of the Indian Country economic sector. We discussed how economic development success among Native American tribes is built on some of the same platforms used by other successful businesses; developing a strategic plan, setting realistic goals, executing the tasks needed to achieve those goals, giving your team the opportunity to succeed sometimes through trial and error, and always communicating to the key stakeholders. There are many stakeholders in the Native American space, including our firm’s staff and board of directors, our portfolio companies and strategic partners, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the

Potawatomi (NHBP) Tribal Council and the Tribal members.

The students wanted to know, “how favorably do Tribal members support economic development at Waséyabek?” It was an insightful question because it drilled down on the ever-present balance between providing revenues now to Tribal members versus investing those revenues in a way that will lead to economic sustainability for the Tribe for decades to come.

One question that really stood out during the Q&A portion of my lecture was, “Do I think that the Seven Grandfather Teachings could be applied in mainstream business and produce better outcomes?” For us, the answer is a resounding “yes.” As someone who has worked at, or led, several for-profit business entities around the globe, the long-view strategy taken by our NHBP Tribal Council allows us to plan and grow while appropriately managing the pressure of short-term financial returns vs. long term economic sustainability and cultural sensitivity. It’s an approach that demonstrates a commitment to treating staff, customers, stakeholders and the planet with integrity and respect.

Just recently, Western Michigan University announced it will begin offering a Graduate Certificate in Tribal Governance in partnership with the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, the Match-EBe-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The program will provide an understanding of the “legal and cultural history of the treaty tribes, tribal peoples, communities, business entities, and governments and how they relate to local, state, and federal governments.” It’s another tangible example of how the Indian Country economic story is now being shared with students. I encourage other universities to follow suit to ensure a more equitable and comprehensive economic curriculum for the next generation of professionals.

In retrospect, I’m grateful for the chance to speak to the students at Harvard and observe how Tribal culture is being shared with the next generation of business and government leaders. And it’s rewarding to see the interest of those students in turning information into wisdom that will guide them in the years to come. It bodes well for all of us.