“A Tribe – a group of people, self-selected, often with a leader, all with a common purpose.” - Seth Godin

A Tribe at it’s most elemental. is a group of people with a common interest or core passion, led toward a goal by a charismatic leader. Tribes, by definition, must have a leader. Without one a tribe is like a flock of sheep without a shepherd, the members roam off into the distance and are never heard of again.

Leaders

The expression “people are sheep” - not to be confused with “people are cheap” - if often used as a derogative. However, it does carry an element of truth: people want to be lead. Human nature has looked for leaders since the dawn of time. Being led is in our DNA, from Ghengis Kahn to Napoleon to Christopher Columbus to Mandela and Obama.

Leaders shape the world.

But Tribes are not only about who leads. It’s equally as important to know how to lead. This principle is often characterized as Know-How and Know-Who.
Tribes thrive is because their growth depends on the organic leadership of a passionate individual, not on the artificial authority given to a manager or a boss.

Tribal Principles

It’s very simple: there are Tribes everywhere now, inside and outside organizations, in public and in private, in non-profits, in classrooms, across the planet. Every one of these Tribes is yearning for leadership and connection. This is where the opportunity lies.

1. Tell them a story: all Tribes must tell a powerful, compelling narrative.
2. Help them connect: Tribes must create a dialogue.
3. Give them something to do: Tribes must encourage their members to be actively engaged,
4. Build their trust: a Tribe must, above all, be transparent with their members.

NOTE: While making money is the long term goal, it should not be even attempted before you have developed a Tribe following and gained their trust. Rushing to market with your commercialization model too early will, unfortunately, often create distrust and discontent with your Tribe Members.

The Tribal model is:

1. Dynamic
2. Fluid
3. Conducive to dialogue
4. Open and transparent

Tribes gather around a leader, not under him or her. Social networking uses this same basic principle to bring your target audience in and gather them around you.

Leading your Tribal Online Community

1. Declare your Goals: a Tribe must have a purpose. The scope of your Tribe will determine the structure of the Site. A focused site will become a rallying point for its members.
2. Become a Motivating Force for your Members: use momentum to your advantage and actively engage your Tribe Members in the process. Give them a voice. Validate their choices. Embrace them into your circle.
3. Use Design Criteria to your Benefit: Set up the right environment and methodology for a dialogue within your Tribe. Your Design Criteria should serve as a framework for the tone, message, look and feel of your site. The Members will feel at home and will be more likely to return, engage and trust you as their Tribe Leader.
4. Build and Nurture a Culture of Openness: As tribe Leader, you must be prepared to release some of the control. Social Media is all about trust and inclusiveness. It’s no longer enough to keep your Members in the loop - you must encourage Members to become part of the loop.
5. Commit to your Vision - as much as you must let Members guide the direction of the Community, your role as Leader is to spearhead the movement. Be true to what you want to achieve. Not everyone will agree with you but it’s just as important to keep the right outsiders out as it is to welcome the right insiders in.