2011 ldk associates, llc 1 working in indian country revisiting the basics “…governments or...

2011 LDK Associates, LLC

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Working in Indian CountryRevisiting the Basics

“…governments or agencies just don’t know us. The biggest letdown of government

agencies … they haven’t educated themselves about us enough. We’re lawyers, and foresters, and doctors, and teachers …

in the present realm.. That’s one of the biggest letdowns – non-education of us”

Ivan Posey

Eastern Shoshone Tribe


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About Me – Larry Keown

• I’ve been on both sides of the fence as a retired federal official and business owner working with tribes across the country,

• I have walked in your shoes when it comes to working with American Indian tribes!

• I have taught tribal relations workshops to thousands of government and corporate officials the past 15 years, and

• I am the author of “Working in Indian Country: Building Successful Business Relationships with American Indian Tribes”


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What are the Basics of Working in Indian Country?

• How history affects the way relationships exist and are built today

• How treaties and sovereignty affect working relationships today

• The importance of linking leadership, respect, trust, and relationships

• A summary of communication, relationship, and trust building protocols


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Let’s Start with a Discussion of History

• The important points include– The importance of knowing history– The differences of how history was learned– How history has shaped the way we do

business in Indian Country today


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What is the Purpose of Understanding History from

a Tribal Leader’s Perspective?

History is important and needs to be retold to remind government and business officials what the American Indian

community has suffered through in order to avoid reoccurrence of the past!


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The Positive Benefits of Knowing History


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History and Relationships Today

We tend to think of history as a chronological record. But the first

major point I want to impress upon you is that it is not the chronological

records that are necessarily important, but the differences in how American

Indians and non-Indians view history.


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The Non-Indian Archetype

What we, in the non-Indian world learned in school about American Indians focused on

Columbus discovering America, the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims, Sacajawea

accompanying Lewis and Clark, famous warriors and chiefs, and massacres of non-Indian people. Basically, our perspective of

American Indian history is framed within what we have been taught and what we have

experienced in our short lifetimes.


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The American Indian Archetype

American Indians, on the other hand, learned of these events through oral histories passed

from generation to generation, not in the public school classroom or from a textbook. Their ancestors, their great grandparents,

most likely lived through these events directly. Consequently, their memories are

long and accurate, often going back centuries.


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An Historical Account

If we ever owned the land we own it still, for we never sold it. In the treaty councils the commissioners have claimed that our county had been sold to the Government. Suppose a white man should come to me and say, “Joseph, I like your horses, and I want to buy them.” I say to him, “No, my horses suit me, I will not sell them.”Then he goes to my neighbor, and says to him:


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An Historical Account

“Joseph has some good horses. I want to buy them, but he refuses to sell.” My neighbor answers, “Pay me the money and I will sell you Joseph’s horses.”The white man returns to me, and says, “Joseph, I have bought your horses, and you must let me have them.” If we sold our lands to the Government this is the way they were bought.”

The North American Review, April 1879, An Indians View of Indian Affairs, Courtesy of Cornell University Library, Making of America Digital Collection


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Examples of Historical Events Affecting

Relationships Today

Treaties Broken/Not Fulfilled

Land/Reservations Removal/Ownership

Culture/Spiritual Prohibited from practicing

Lifestyle Conversion from nomadic/hunter/gatherer to agrarian

Health Diet changes leading todisease


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How History has Shaped Relationship Building Today

Today, the attitudes of many in the American Indian community are cast from their ancestors and their personal experiences of the past. Listen …


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A New Way of Thinking about Working in Indian

Country• A Paradigm Shift

• Business as Usual?

• Definitions of Leadership and Leadership Activities

• Communication Protocols

• Relationships

• Building Trust


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A Paradigm Shift

Successfully working in Indian country requires that you re-examine the way

you do business as well as the way you think about American Indians. The purpose is to help you change your

thinking in both these areas. In other words, I’m asking you to experience a

paradigm shift.


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A Paradigm Shift

Many, if not most, of us work and operate in a traditional business environment

defined by social and business norms. However, what few realize is that in our

own country there are cultural microcosms—American Indian tribal governments, for one, where the business environment may differ significantly from what we practice on

a broader scale.


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A Paradigm Shift

Applying our “business as usual” approach when working with and within another

cultural microcosm is not always effective and can lead to disappointing results.


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Let’s Start with Leadership

In our “business as usual” model we define a leader as one who:

• Is visionary, • Is a motivator, • Is a change agent, • Influences others, • Has power over others, • Is prominent, or • Holds a position of status.

We look at a leader to inspire others and chart a path into the future.


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Why a Traditional Leadership Approach Does

Not Work!This traditional model of you setting yourself up as the authority figure or leader does not work well in Indian country for this reason—

you are working with a sovereign entity! Tribal sovereignty is inherent and has been affirmed

and validated by the Supreme Court of the United States. This means you are dealing

with an independent organization, one that is self-governing and not ruled by any other state, much less you or your organization.


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It Means …You cannot –

• Impose a vision on a tribe • Exercise power and authority over a

tribe • Change a tribe • Require a tribe to do something, • Require an action you think is best for

a tribe, or• Dictate mandates to a tribe

Without the tribe’s participation and willingness


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An Example

A state aeronautics official once shared with me that he had approached a tribe informing

them he had a million dollars to build an airport on their tribal lands and it would be a great deal for them. It would assist in economic development, bring them closer to the real

world, and enhance their infrastructure. He told me the tribal officials sat in silence except for a

few that lectured him on, “What did he know what was good for the tribe?” He said he felt

like they ran him off.


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Some Sound Advice


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A New Definition of Leadership

“Rather than define leadership either as a position of authority in a social structure or

as a personal set of characteristics, we may find it a great deal more useful to define leadership as an activity. This allows for

leadership from multiple positions in a social structure. A President and a clerk can both lead. It also allows for the use of a variety of abilities depending on the demands of the

culture and situation.”Ronald A. Heifetz. 1994.

Leadership Without Easy Answers. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.


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What Does This Add Up To?

In his definition, Heifetz makes two vital points that are applicable to working in Indian country. First, leadership is a set of activities or skills that are adjusted to

meet cultural situations. Second, anyone can provide leadership despite his or her standing in an organization.


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What Does This Add Up To?

In other words, Heifetz’s idea of leadership is that it can be done by

anyone in an organization and can be adjusted to fit any culture—internally to

an organization or externally when dealing with different social cultures

such as the American Indian community.


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Leadership and Culture


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What are These Activities?

First and foremost is the need to respect the inherent sovereignty of tribes and remind

ourselves that we have no formal authority over tribal programs and operations. Our

focus needs to be on how we communicate, honor cultural protocols, and ultimately build

trust and strong social and business relationships.


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Specifically, This Means …

How we carry out the following leadership activities:

•Listening•Asking questions vs. making statements•Collaborating•Presenting programs or projects•Coping with time issues•Appreciating social encounters•Respecting the culture and spiritual etiquette•And so much more


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It Means Knowing and Understanding Your

Customer!


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The Key Business Leadership Activities

• Communicating Effectively

• Honoring Cultural Protocols

• Developing Social and Business Relationships

• Building Trust


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Communicating in a Culturally Diverse

EnvironmentSender Receiver

Filters •Values •Attitudes •Biases •Hostility •Baggage •Perceptions •Lack of trust

Filters •Values •Attitudes •Biases •Hostility •Baggage •Perceptions •Lack of trust


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Questions To Ask Ourselves

What are some of the filters (perceptions) non-Indian people have about Indian people?


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Questions To Ask Ourselves

What are some of the filters (perceptions) Indian people have about non-Indian people?


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Concluding Thoughts on Communications

• We cannot let our past experiences with tribal individuals, or even organizations, plug our filters

• We must come with an open mind free of any misperceptions, stereotypes, or biases

• We must recognize that there may be other cultural behaviors taking place that we may not be aware of

• We should not draw conclusions based on our own cultural values, e.g. time, body language, delayed responses, etc.


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Honor Cultural Protocols

• Speeches and communication– Allow people to speak and express opinions– Do not interrupt

• Relationships before business– Develop relationships before conducing business– Allow time for socializing before business

• Prayers and spirituality– Allow time for prayers

• Gifts– Honor the importance of gifts, both giving and

receiving


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Social and Business Relationships

• Develop relationships before conducting business– Go to coffee– Tour the reservation– Get to know your tribal representative as a

person – not a business contact• In the business environment build in time

for socializing– Group lunches– Celebrate successes– Receptions and events


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Social and Business Relationships


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Building Trust in the Business Environment

• Trust does not come naturally– The history of abuses, government actions, and

illicit business dealings has many times created a skeptical Indian community

• Trust is earned through respect– The Platinum Rule: Treat others as they want to

be treated, not as you want to be treated

• Trust is earned as an individual– Trust is not automatically conveyed to others in

your organization


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Building Trust in the Business Environment


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Final Thoughts

• We have covered a number of critical topic this afternoon– How history affects the way

relationships exist and are built today– How treaties and sovereignty affect

working relationships today– The importance of linking leadership,

respect, trust, and relationships– A summary of communication,

relationship, and trust building protocols


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A Final Thought


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• South Dakota Indian Business Alliance – http://www.sdibaonline.org/

• South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations – http://www.sdtribalrelations.com/

• Wakpa Sica Place of Reconciliation – http://www.wakpasica.org/index.php

• National Native American Chamber of Commerce – http://www.site.nnacc.org/

• Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce – http://www.lakotamall.com/chamber/index.html

Need More Information?


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This Breakout Session is Based on the Book …“Working in Indian Country: Building

Successful Business Relationships with American Indian Tribes.”

http://www.workinginindiancountry.com


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Thank You!

I wish you the best in your endeavors and greatly appreciate

your participation.

2011 ldk associates, llc 1 working in indian country revisiting the basics “…governments or...

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