Forget sensitivities when women's welfare is at stake

Merepeka Raukawa-Tait

Chief-executive, National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges Inc.

Description: Negotiates funding for 56 refuges throughout NZ; lobbies for victims' rights and monitors the protocol of family violence services.

Size of organisation: 11 permanent staff at national office, 159 paid and 462 unpaid workers in 49 collectives.

What makes your day at work?

Hearing from a refuge that it has had a successful outcome to a problem that we have been able to assist with. I have found the refuges to be fiercely independent and their workload is so great that when they do ask for help, I attempt to put every effort into delivering a solution as soon as possible.

How did you get where you are today?

By listening, searching out the facts and then speaking up, usually on a wide range of issues - this does tend to get you noticed. You can have all the processes and systems in place, but if you can't talk to your own people, then forget it, because they will.

I share a lot of my own personal experiences too. People need to know you are real, have taken some of life's knocks, maybe buckled at the knees a few times, but got straight back up again.

I also know that my early years living and working in Switzerland enabled me to see beyond the rather parochial view New Zealanders have of living in "God's Own".

What is the most important lesson you have learnt on your way up?

Every human being has something to offer and although we can't always agree with each other, there is never any need to bully or put people down. I refuse to be intimidated by others.

Funny thing is, after a while you recognise the [intimidating] type immediately and just take evasive action beforehand.

How have you dealt with any pitfalls in your career?

My biggest pitfall and, I must say, regret, has been to allow myself to work with poorly skilled managers. I have a very high expectation of managemenet in New Zealand and I haven't always had the courage to speak out when I have seen numerous examples of poor decision-making.

I have put personal popularity aside now, and I have this attitude towards my work for Women's Refuge too. I have no time for protecting the sensitivities of Government, men in general and Maori leadership in particular.

We have a domestic violence problem in New Zealand that is well past crisis point and I have no option but to point out that the longer this major problem goes unchecked, as a nation we are being dragged down.

What advice would you give to a young person starting out in business?

Learn the difference between leadership and management early in your career if possible and work alongside a leader - in years to come you'll spot the difference immediately and know who you want to do business with.

What's the biggest challenge for your organisation in the present economy?

The biggest challenge for me is to keep the 56 Safe Houses and national office funded and open. We have so much work and very little money.

If only the Government would understand that if you invest adequately in the safety and wellbeing of women and children in our communities, our whole nation ultimately benefits.

The private sector and major corporates could also look to see what they can do to financially support the work of Women's Refuge. They must know that social costs are having a major impact on the business environment in which they operate.

If there was one thing you could have done differently, what would it have been?

To put greater emphasis on looking at the bottom line and learning a lot earlier that responsible financial management doesn't just rest with the financial adviser or accountant.

What ambitions do you have?

Immediately, to put family and domestic violence centre stage and to somehow adequately resource Women's Refuge. Long term, I would like to spend 2-3 years representing New Zealand offshore, preferably in a marketing capacity.

How do you relax?

Anytime, anywhere, when I'm with my husband Theo.

* Merepeka Raukawa-Tait spoke with Dita De Boni.