With less than 2 per cent of the total Māori population holding a doctorate, the need for Māori leadership planning in academia has never been greater. The purpose of this book is to present the experiences of new and emerging Māori academics as a guide for others aspiring to follow. In 2010 Professor Sir Mason Durie oversaw the creation of the Te Manu Ao Academy at Massey University, designed to advance Māori academic leadership. In partnership with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the course looked to develop participants thinking around effective leadership principles, values and ideas. This book grew from that programme, in response to the need to create the space for new and emerging Māori academic leaders to speak openly about what leadership means both personally and professionally.