Author Seth Godin in his book defines a Tribe as a a group of people connected through a common interest and have the ability to communicate.
All veterans are already part of a tribe the military and their branch of service, but the question is:
How do we leverage the power of the tribe in the civilian world?
Read on to find out.
Questions are always coming in from members of the High Speed Elite mastermind class and this week’s question was just this – with so many different mini tribes present – the military tribe included – How does one create a tribe and lead it?
On Creating A Tribe
The truth of the matter is tribes are already out there so there really isn’t an issue of creating one.
The bigger issue is actually going out there and finding one where you fit in and a way for you to possible hold a position of authority and become a leader.
Through hard work and the willingness to do different things for your tribe such as organizing things and leading them through certain situations it is possible for one to become a leader of a tribe.
On Building Up A Tribe
Working with the assumption that a tribe is already out there, the next natural step is to see if it can be built up.
To do this one must first see what the current position of a tribe is– how is it doing? Is it faring well or is it dying? From this one can decide what his next course of action will be.
As long as a tribe has a future it will continue to grow. This is why to build up a tribe one should ensure that it has a growing future.
Getting young people as well as finding people who are already interested in the same things to join and participate in the tribe is a surefire way to ensure that it has continuity.
Click here to listen to How Veterans Can Build And Lead A Tribe podcast on iTunes.
Click here to listen to How Veterans Can Build And Lead A Tribe podcast on Stitcher.
On Leading A Tribe
As previously mentioned, hard work and doing things for one’s tribe is a way to get into a leadership position but it really isn’t the only way.
One other way is to invest in one’s tribe and make sure that it continues on to the future.
There are different kinds of investments one can make. The first is of course monetary– pouring in money so tribes can continue to meet, interact and have events is a way to ensure it’s continuity.
Another kind of investment is time. People who make the time to plan out events and to be present for events for a tribe will naturally assume a leadership position.
After all they are the ones determine when the group will get together.
Service is yet another way to get into a position of authority. By showing through deeds your commitment to a tribe then people will naturally and willingly give you that position of authority especially when they see your sincerity.
If you can provide value then there is also the opportunity to become a leader of a tribe. A safe assumption to make is that every tribe will have holes that make them less effective than they potentially can be.
Your job as a leader-to-be is to cover up those holes in the most effective way. This is how you provide value for your tribe and climb the leadership ladder.
If you want to become a thought leader of a tribe, there are other things that you can do as well:
- Write a book- if it is within your ability
- Start a Youtube channel- Again if it is also within your ability.
Both ways are effective because not only does it establish that you have knowledge on a particular subject but the act of doing both is also acquiring more knowledge and more ammunition that you can use and eventually impart to others.
As we draw a close on the subject, here are a few important thoughts to ponder on about leading a tribe-
You don’t really choose to be a leader of a tribe but you actually get chosen.
Nobody can come in a group and demand to be a leader. He has to earn this place of position through the respect and admiration of those around him. To do that, he has to show that he is worthy through his words and his actions.
Click here to listen to How Veterans Can Build And Lead A Tribe podcast on iTunes.
Click here to listen to How Veterans Can Build And Lead A Tribe podcast on Stitcher.
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