Let me begin by stating that I love Godin’s blog, mainly for its bold, inspirational properties but also for its necessary doses of reality. It was his blog that drew me to Tribes — what I like to think of as a harsh expose on what it takes to be a leader in a corporate world that emphasizes and rewards the status quo.
What’s a Tribe?
If you don’t know yet, it’s possible you may want to consider moving out from under that rock.
But, as a simple equation:
| Tribe = people + shared interest + way to communicate |
The Message
Right on the cover: We need you to lead us. So, naturally I asked ‘why?’ 12 pages in, I finally receive my answer in the form of Godin’s thesis — to sum up, it’s all about change.
I feel like the most important message this book has to offer is not the concept of tribes but actually the concept of leadership. Yes, I understand that the two are undeniably intertwined but, more importantly, the former is impossible without the latter.
Godin wants me, you and your grandmother to embody that change and ultimately prove that success is derived from leading a movement not from conforming to bureaucracy.
The Sub-Messages
There is so much going on in Tribes, I found it hard to narrow down the core sub-messages. But I think once you cut through some of the clutter, the following takeaways are invaluable:
- Destroy the status quo to win
- “Heretics are engaged, passionate, and more powerful and happier than everyone else.”
- Leadership is not management its about being an agent of change
- Don’t be a lurker, Be a Leaner
To make sense of this, you’re going to have to start reading! What you do need to know is that all the messages above (and all the messages throughout the book) are centred on change. Without change, they are impossible.
The Criticism
As with much of Godin’s writing, Tribes is an inspirational read. But if I were to use one word to describe the book, I’d choose “schizophrenic”.
It’s certainly a harsh criticism given that I’ve spent much of this post bolstering the text. But the presentation of Godin’s concepts and inspirations is too highly dependent on idea-hopping. From one idea to the next and then back to the original; it makes Tribes a difficult read. As Godin totes, ‘marketing is about storytelling’, but even though I know I’m not picking up a novel, I found myself constantly wishing the text was a more cohesive story.
His method of offering information in bite-sized morsels leaves something to be desired as the book fails to gel as a singular text. His lacklustre transitions are balanced with purposeful ambiguity, so there is a diamond amongst all the rough.
The End
The content fights the format. And that struggle is a glaring punch to the face. But Godin has much to say, most of which is more than worth hearing, so I recommend Tribes to any and all marketers if only because it may transform you into a leader.
(What I’m Reading Now: The Ultimate Marketing Plan by Dan Kennedy)
