The layout of the book is different from any book I've read before. The book has no chapters. Instead it is littered with short one to two page short, but, nonetheless, information packed segments. Each segment is titled with a brief description which is printed on the page in bold font. The format of the book is almost as if a large array of inspirational and insightful emails were taken and organized into a very seamless order . The book seems to flow and could be used in place of the daily quote or horoscope widget that lives on your iGoogle page.
One of the main concepts in the book is that of the "status quo". In essence, the status quo is whatever is considered the norm in a company. In Godin's own words, "the status quo might be the way every one expects a product to be package for the pricing model that everyone accepts because it's been around so long" (35). Tribes suggests that tribe leaders are ones who question ht status quo.
One of the main premises in the book is that leaders should change the status quo in order to create tribes and thrive. As Godin states on page 36 of the book, "organizations that destroy the status quo, win."
Another major idea that this book talks about is the idea of mediocrity in relation to fear. It states that most people are fearful of creating fear or being what the book refers to as a heretic. Godin emphasizes that "it's uncomfortable to challenge the status quo" (55) for many reasons. Some people are afraid of public speaking, others are afraid of loosing their job for challenging policy, and even more are just fearful in general of letting go to what is procedural and comfortable. However, the book displays that all of these fears can be overcome through strong belief.
As stated in Tribes, powerful leaders and organizations are built upon strong beliefs. Essentially, beliefs are the fuel that get leader moving. "Heretics must believe" (Godin, 49). Seth Godin even goes on to state that faith may be one of the two most important factors in creating change and challenging the status quo. As stated on page 71, "...the only thing holding you back from becoming the kind of person who changes things is this: lack of faith" (Godin). What is equally important to a leader as belief is the ability to encompass the tribe.
Throughout the book, several sections emphasize the importance of going with the flow of the tribe. It is important to not only lead the tribe, but also to follow the tribe when it really gets moving. However, as the book states, a good leader must be able to dive back in and grab the reigns at the right moment. A good example of this that Seth uses is the music industry. The music industry's tribe started to lead their own movement when the digital age hit. The music industry continued to force its leadership and did not follow the tribe as the members left. "They forgot to embrace change" (Godin, 92).
In summary, Seth Godin's Tribes is a very uniquely structured book that educates us on the ways to be a leader and how to create a tribe through several simple concepts. Always question the status quo. Believe in whatever it is that you are creating or starting an uprising for. Encompass the tribe and know when to lead and when to follow. Overcome your fears of challenging the status quo. Do all of the fore mentioned items and according to Tribes you are on the right track to leading a very successful tribe to victory!!
References
- Godin, Seth. (2008). Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us. New York, New York: Penguin Group.
