Leading with Aroha: Our Obligation to Each Other with Dan Anderson
When: 12pm-1pm, 11 April 2025
Where: online
Whether you joined us live or are catching up now, we’re excited to share this insightful kōrero.
Dan shared his experiences leading Te Hou Ora Whānau Services, offering a reminder that effective leadership is rooted in relationships, authenticity, and collective strength. We hope this session offers plenty of inspiration for your own leadership journey.
👉 Watch the full recording here:
Our highlights from the session:
💡 Leadership is collective — It’s not about one person, it’s about backing your people and building kōtahitanga.
💡 Be real — Authenticity and vulnerability are key to building trust and creating genuine impact.
💡 Relationships first — The real mahi happens when you invest in people, not just processes.
💡 Hold a clear moemoeā — Vision isn’t a solo job — the best ideas come from the people closest to the kaupapa. Co-create your vision with those you serve.
About Dan Anderson
Job titles and ladder climbing never felt fulfilling to me—they’re just a bit shit. I’ve done different things, each adding something to my kete, but none of it compares to lived experience—the full spectrum of it. From love and joy to loss and struggle, those are the things that have shaped me most.
I was born feeling Māori. Then, for many reasons, I ran from my childhood and my identity. I didn’t look back. But like a shadow, my whakapapa and my beginning was always there—I could never escape it. Many had it worse, but I experienced enough to know I didn’t want my kids growing up feeling this way.
Confronting those early experiences, grieving them, and moving forward taught me more than anything else ever could. You always carry the past, but it doesn’t need control you or inhibit you. Instead, it can strengthen you, adding unimaginable depth, understanding, and will.
I didn’t overcome adversity gracefully. I stumbled. I got it wrong. I was lucky. I snuck through, thanks to a few special people along the way. But through it all, I managed to hold onto what I was born with—an idea that anything is possible, regardless of circumstance.
I love the fearless curiosity of children, and I see their magic often. They don’t hesitate, they don’t second-guess, they just move—open, questioning, fearless. That’s what we’re meant to be before the world tells us otherwise.
Reclaiming my identity and being comfortable with who I am gave me more than I could have ever imagined. Because in the end, it’s not the things we own, the titles we hold, or the paths we take—it’s the depth of who we are, the belief in ourselves, our aroha for others, and the way we keep moving, no matter what.
Dan Anderson is Kaiwhakahaere at Te Hou Ora Whānau Services
Connect with Dan:
Find Dan on LinkedIn
Website: Te Hou Ora Whānau Services
Instagram: @thows_otepoti
