#4 Embracing Tribal Leadership at AppFollow

As a leader of the company, you encounter many ideas that can shape the culture of your organization. Ever since I discovered Tribal Leadership by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright, it has been a driving force behind pushing AppFollow to greatness.

To provide you with a short introduction, this book lays out a methodology for improving team performance and enhancing individual contributions through cultural evolution. It’s really important to reflect upon your own position in this hierarchy, as I’m sure you’ll discover now.

The five stages of tribal leadership

There are five stages that describe the progress of a group or “tribe”, ranging from 20 to 150 individuals. Like a small town comprised of different people, each unique, with their own values. It was like this in the most ancient of times and it is still like that today—with a twist.

The language and behavior of individuals within the tribe define where they stand. The ultimate goal is to transform a disjointed group of self-centered individuals into a cohesive, selfless team that strives to reach a common goal or a vision that is focused on something good.

What sets one tribe apart from another is its leadership. Tribal leaders define their tribe's culture and set the level for others to reach and maintain. That’s why bad leaders have high turnover all the time, and good leaders foster a powerful team capable of building world wonders.

Stage one: “Life sucks!”

The starting point of human society.?

Individuals at this stage are rare in companies and for a good reason. They band together in a hostile world, often resulting in the formation of violent gangs operating by their own rules.

An employee like that will actively seek to find immediate gratification, forgoing all rules, recommendations, or directions.

2% of individuals at this stage are found in the workforce.?

Stage two: “My life sucks”.

A significant leap forward, although still far from where every company needs to go.

People at this stage lack shared values. They feel they can't change their situation, leading to passive-aggressive behavior and an overall lack of passion for the organization. There is no desire to learn, advance, or share. Basically, everyone’s just minding their own business, doing the absolute minimum without meaningful consideration for their colleagues or the company as a whole. Constant sarcasm is usually a good indicator.

People expect failure. We have to help them expect something better than failure. Encouragement goes a long way, even if it’s just verbal.

The Office TV series is a fantastic reference. The only time Andy succeeded as a manager is when he united the entire team to perform above and beyond to reach a certain KPI. Reaching this sales KPI meant he would do a tattoo of their choice on his behind.?

25% of individuals are out there at Stage Two.

Stage three: “I’m great, and you’re not”

Knowledge is power. When you think you know it all and have the numbers to show for it, you truly start to believe it.?

This stage is common for individuals in performance or prestige roles. Sales people, doctors, managers. Winning becomes personal, and individuals tend to act as lone warriors, focused just on their own KPIs or income. They might, however, form two-person relationships and hoard knowledge.

They would gladly walk over someone’s head if it meant they broke yet another corporate record. As professionals, they do great, but as team members…not so much. An individual at this stage can get quite defensive if their ego is bruised. That’s why helping them get to the next stage should be done carefully.?

A good way to help them step up is to coach them to network. Offer projects that are too big to tackle alone and suggest help. Foster knowledge exchange, and soon enough, trust will follow.

49% of people in the workforce are overachievers. A staggering number, really.

Stage four: “We are great”

At this stage, individuals band together, viewing themselves as a tribe with a common purpose. They hold each other accountable and share the same vision and are excited to bring along new members to the tribe.?

The mindset shifts from "I" to "we", which is a tremendous leap forward. Starting with this stage, individuals understand that contributing to the group’s success will benefit every member. The communication is no longer about held one-on-one, more (or all) people are involved.

Of course, there is still competitiveness, but now on a collective level. “We are great, and they (the competitors) are not”.?

22% of people find themselves at this stage.

Stage five: “Life is great”

This is the final stage of tribal leadership, where extraordinary things happen.?

The goal isn't to outdo competitors anymore but to make a global, lasting impact. This stage embodies pure leadership, vision, and inspiration. Individuals are innocent and wondering in their exploration of what can be done to everyone’s benefit. The language leaders use centers around infinite potential, with no room for workplace conflicts.?

Even the competition is viewed in a positive light—as companies providing solutions to people with similar problems.?

The tribal leader must learn each stage, be able to recognize who is at what stage currently (including themselves), move forward, and inspire their team to follow suit.

2% of people are the leaders at this final stage.

What tribal leadership means to us

We at AppFollow want our entire team to be at stage four, and we have succeeded at this. Below you’ll find a number of recommendations that I consider useful in this ever-lasting journey to excellence.?

Stages cannot be skipped.?

If a team member is at Stage two, they must first climb to Stage three. Use the proper means to help them get there.

Use the language of the next stage for employees stuck at a previous stage.?

If someone says “my life sucks”, encourage them by saying “you are great!”. Elevate them to the next level with words that are a part of it. That extends to all stages.?

At AppFollow, this exercise extends to multiple communication channels.

• During one-on-one sessions with a team lead, it’s a part of appreciation and the coaching feedback.?
• During monthly all-hands meetings, it’s a part of kudos and appreciation for all teams, with individual thanks to specific team members.
• For day-to-day, there’s a Slack channel where kind words of appreciation are relayed as well.

Stage four is optimal if your team is within the size bracket of 20 to 150.?

It is not “I” did that. It is “we” did that. You want everyone to push in the same direction, knowing why they do it for your common vision, and less so for their own gain.?

Try to avoid one-on-one communication and withholding knowledge.?

Form triads by involving more people in public channels. Discuss plans openly and welcome others to join, or at the very least be informed of what is planned. They will do the same in turn.

For instance, we have Slack channels specifically for the purpose of sharing knowledge—insights, books, articles, videos, and the like. A knowledgeable team is a powerful team, after all.

The journey of tribal leadership is challenging and requires constant self-evaluation.?

Don’t be afraid to “let go” and delegate if you are at Stage three.

Don’t tell people at Stage three that they are at Stage three.?

They most likely won’t take it well. At this stage, an individual’s ego is likely to be fragile. An offended individual might take an opposite course of action and start taking steps back instead. Who likes getting told they’re self-centered? No one.

Never forget to praise your team for their accomplishments, individual or otherwise.

This is a fundamental of healthy communication between people that is important at the workplace as much as it is outside of it. Praise for hard work is rarely forgotten, and it helps an individual realize that they are valued.

Ask yourself and the team the right questions.

Constant reflection is a journey to constant improvement. Ask yourself, your direct subordinates, and the whole team (at the very least) these three questions:

• On what stage are you on at the moment?
• On what stage do you think your team is?
• On what stage is the whole company right now?

With this knowledge at your disposal, you will make the most of the tribal leadership mindset, and elevate yourself and your team to a better place.

Afterword

In the end, our core values are what makes us a team and a company. This is why we pursue stage four at all times, even during hiring. These values are the fuel of our tribe, guiding us toward our noble goal.?

We review our core values and our mission in every all-hands meeting. I recommend you try that too—the results might be very surprising.?

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Thank you for reading!

So, at what stage are you right now, and how about your team members? Do share in the comments!