This paper concerns itself with various leadership theories that help explain what makes for good leadership, from a Māori perspective. Transformational leadership models are evident throughout the history of Māori in Aotearoa whether that leadership was of a charismatic, religious, military or socio-political nature. Traditional and contemporary Māori leadership has been characterised by leaders who shared a vision, a sense of mission and an agreed course of action, and who earned the respect, confidence and loyalty of their followers, as a group and individually, through their inspirational leadership.