I ali'i no ke ali'i i ke kanaka.

E nā hoa makamaka, nā kama a Maui, Aloha mai kākou!

Today's Morning Mana'o is an 'ōlelo no'eau - I ali'i nō ke ali'i i ke kanaka. A chief is a chief because of the people who serve him. This 'ōlelo no'eau was said as a reminder to the chief to always consider his people. I like this proverb because it applies to anyone in a leadership role. An alaka'i, a leader, can only lead those who are willing to follow. Good alaka'i, good leaders build trust, foster relationships and genuinely care about the those they lead. Consider the relationship you have with your boss. A boss who cares about his or her workers, shows an interest in them and acknowledges their efforts will have far greater success than a boss who just gives orders and expects results. A leader must lead by example. Her example speaks louder than her words. A good leader exemplifies the qualities he or she expects. A fine example in our history is Kamehameha I. Yes, he was a fierce warrior, but he also showed great leadership skills. Oral tradition tells us that he could be found working along side his people in the taro patches of 'Apuakēhau. King William Lunalilo was known as the people's king. In fact, he chose to be buried amongst his people, at Kawaiaha'o, in downtown Honolulu rather than be interred at Mauna 'Ala, the royal masoleum. Our challenge, today, is to think about the leadership roles we all have as parents, friends, citizens in our community. Are we leading by example? Are we building trust and fostering relationships? This is a good time for us to reflect on our own leadership qualities. Indeed, i ali'i nō ke ali'i i ke kanaka, a chief is only a chief because of his people.

Aloha nō, a hui hou . . .
Luana