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TRIBAL
L E A D E R S H I P
Leveraging Natural Groups to
Build a Thriving Organization
Dave Logan, John King,
Halee Fischer-Wright
and
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We dedicate this book to Tribal Leaders:
The future of the business world depends on you.
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Contents
Acknowledgments iv
Foreword x
PART I:
The Tribal Leadership System
1 Corporate Tribes 3
2 The Five Tribal Stages 11
3 The Tribal Leadership Navigation System 34
PART II:
Your Journey as a Leader: Leading Others Through the Stages
4 Stage One: On the Verge of a Meltdown 41
5 Stage Two: Disconnected and Disengaged 53
6 Stage Three: The Wild, Wild West 76
7 The Tribal Leadership Epiphany 108
8 Stage Four: Establishing Tribal Leadership 130
PART III:
Owning Tribal Leadership: Stabilizing Stage Four
9 Core Values and a Noble Cause 151
10 Triads and Stage Four Networking 183
11 A Tribal Leader’s Guide to Strategy 206
v Contents
PART IV:
Toward Vital Work Communities (Stage Five)
12 Early Stage Five: Life Is Great 239
Appendix A: A Tribal Leader’s Cheat Sheet 253
Appendix B: The Story of Our Research 265
Appendix C: How to Reach Us 281
Index 285
About the Authors
Praise
Credits
Cover
Copyright
About the Publisher
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Acknowledgments
This book would not be possible without a list of people we’re hon-
ored to consider part of our tribe.
First, the heart of our tribe is Jack Bennett, COO of our consult-
ing firm, but more importantly, a constant friend and advocate. He
kept the company running so we could take time to research, teach,
and write. There was never a job too big or too small; if it advanced
the cause, Jack was there doing it before we could ask. On the next
page is our core team: left to right, Dave, Halee, John, and Jack.
We are grateful to the people who granted us interviews, turning
cold research findings into stories. The list includes Scott Adams, Don
Beck, Carol Burnett, Gordon Binder, Kathy Calcidise, Jim Clifton,
Gary Cole, Glen Esnard, Werner Erhard, Mike Eruzione, Brian France,
Danny Kahneman, David Kelley, Bob Klitgaard, Marty Koyle, Frank
Jordan, Tom Mahoney, Barney Pell, Sandy Rueve, Mark Rumans, Ste-
ven Sample, Brian Sexton, Bob Tobias, Charise Valente, Ken Wilber,
George Zimmer, the leaders of Griffin Hospital, and the tribe around
Design for You in Chicago (especially William and Morgon).
To our “review committee”—a group of people who read
through our often agonizing rough drafts and helped us figure out
what we were saying. The list includes Marcus Berry, Grace Cheng,
Jim Crupi, Loree Goffigan, Gretchen Knudsen, Jay Iinuma, Anna
vii Acknowledgments
Photo credit: MelindaKelley.com
Maria Larsen, Megan O’Donnell, Robert Richman, Jody Tolan, and
Greg Vorwaller.
At USC, we’re indebted to years of students in the Executive
MBA, Master of Medical Management, Master of Accounting, and
Marshall MBA. The students at USC helped refine and shape our
ideas, with many emerging as Tribal Leaders. This book would not
have been possible without the mentoring and “safe space” USC
provided, and we acknowledge the faculty and staff of the Marshall
School of Business.
A special thanks to our agent, Bonnie Solow. Bonnie, this book
would not have come together were it not for your absolute profes-
sionalism, support, and advice. We will always remember our meet-
ings with you, and with LuLu, a special friend.
Acknowledgments viii
Bonnie introduced us to Ethan Friedman, our editor. Thank you
for taking this project to the next level through your comments and
encouragement, and for introducing us to the tribe at HarperCollins
who literally made this book happen. That list includes Sarah Brown,
Ruth Mannes, Georgia Morrissey, Victor Mingovits, Helen Song,
Anna Chapman, Leah Carlson-Stanisic, and Nyamekye Waliyaya.
We wrote Tribal Leadership as the voice of one tribe, but there
are several people that Dave, John, and Halee thank personally.
John’s list of Tribal Leaders and partners includes Paul Buss,
Rick Chichester, Mike Fitz-Gerald, George Kallis, Scott Kaplan,
Randy McNamara, Marsha Morton, Dene Oliver, Craig Robbins,
and Candace Shivers Morgan. John sends his appreciation to the
thinkers and educators at the Santa Fe institute for inspiring him to
merge Chaos and Complexity theory with the human sciences. He
would like to acknowledge Landmark Education for cocreating
the context for the central interests of his life. On a personal level,
John thanks J.H. Vandapool, his first mentor. John says: “Van al-
ways saw the dream and aspirations of young people and dedicated
his life to training and developing young leaders to attain the impos-
sible. He touched thousands of young lives and his influence on me
is present daily.” Beyond Van, my family, particularly my mother,
Mary King, a woman grounded in core values and the relationship
realities of life, and at 93, still teaching her gentle and intelligent phi-
losophy of human interactions. And, lastly, thanks profoundly to my
daughter, Krista, her husband Mark, and their three beautiful daugh-
ters, Kyra, Juliet, and Keely.
Halee’s list includes many strong female tribal leaders that are
her mentors in medicine, business, life and friendship, including
Grace Caputo, Dale Singer, Lisa Wetherbee, Tracy Beranek, Julie
Zimbelman, Pat Mattews, Josie James, and her grandmother, Ida
Fischer. She sends a special thank you to her role models: A.D. Ja-
ix Acknowledgments
cobson, Walt Haggerty, and Mark Rumans. Halee adds: “I send
special love, gratitude, and appreciation to my parents. My most
important acknowledgment goes to my husband, Michael. He is a
steadfast companion, giving love, humor, and an occasional kick in
the butt—a truly extraordinary man.”
For Dave, the list includes partners and Tribal Leaders: Skip
Beebe, Karla Wiseman Bright, Rich Callahan, Bob Myrtle, and John
Ollen, as well as mentors in business and academia, including Tim
Campbell, Dave Carter, Mike Duffy, Bill Cohen, Tom Cummings,
Warren Bennis, Beverly Kaye, Peter Marston, Patricia Riley, and
Bernie Schnippert. Dave would like to acknowledge a debt of thanks
to the Barbados Group, notably Michael Jensen and Steve Zaffron—
both friends and teachers. There are two people worthy of special
thanks: Ken Wilber, who took time from his busy schedule, and
significant health problems, to guide us in the last stages of our re-
search; and Werner Erhard. Dave is grateful for Werner’s friend-
ship, “listening,” “outside the box” thinking, and encouragement.
Dave’s most important acknowledgment goes to Harte. He says:
“You are not only my wife and strongest supporter, yours were the
first eyes to see our proposal and chapter drafts. Much of this book
was worked out in our long talks on the beach, and without you, we
wouldn’t have found Bonnie. You are a constant champion, my best
friend, and yes, a Tribal Leader.”
Description:It's a fact of life: birds flock, fish school, people "tribe." Every company, indeed every organization, is a tribe, or if it's large enough, a network of tribes—groups of 20 to 150 people in which everyone knows everyone else, or at least knows of everyone else. Tribes are more powerful than team
