Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
By Seth Godin
Published by: The
Penguin Group |
Reviewed by industry consultant Gordon Miller, former director of the National Cosmetology Association
What is the book about?
Popular marketing guru, blogger and author
Seth Godin defi nes a tribe as "any
group of people, large or small, who are
connected to one another, a leader and
an idea. For millions of years, people
have joined tribes, be they religious,
ethnic, political or even musical (think
Deadheads). It's our nature." With the
advent of the internet (eliminating the barriers
of geography, cost and time) people
are coming together in new and ever expanding
ways-allowing existing ‘tribes'
to get bigger and new tribes to come into
being. And, although technology is changing
lives in ways we couldn't even imagine 10
years ago, one thing the internet can't do
is provide leadership-of your staff, fellow
employees, customers, followers, fans
and more. Tribes is about leadership in the
age of the internet, online communities and
new ways of connecting-and how you can
leverage your passion in new ways.
Why did you like this book?
It was short, to the point and easy to read-it
was a new take on an old topic (leadership)
that is meaningful in many ways. As Godin
says: "Without leaders, there are no followers.
You're a leader. We need you."
Importantly, Godin does a great job in
separating management from leadership.
"Management is about manipulating resources
to get a known job done" while
leadership "is about creating change that
you believe in." There's no arguing the
world around us is changing at a pace that
is dumbfounding, and that new kinds of
leaders are needed in all parts of our lives.
This book is both thought-provoking and,
for those who buy into the author's way of
thinking, a handbook for leading in ways
that fit the new world order.
What was the biggest takeaway message
for you?
That leadership, like most things in life,
begins with making a choice. If you believe
passionately in what you do, you have the
potential to lead-and to make a positive
difference in things that matter to you.
What idea did you implement in your
business or personal life?
Leadership brings with it accountability-
and this book makes one think not only
about how to be a new kind of leader but
also about what responsibilities come with
that role.
I'm working to build more of those accountabilities
into all parts of my interactions
with those I connect with professionally and
personally-and think I'm a better person
(and professional) because of this book.
Why would you recommend this book
to other professionals?
The internet is allowing salon professionals
to connect with each other and with
their current and future clients in ways that
were not long ago unfathomable. Tribes is
a great primer for salon owners, managers
and professionals on how to take their
passion for beauty and service and turn it
into bigger, better results in their careers
and lives by leading.
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