Many business people reading this post know that building a balanced, thriving tribe usually takes thought, work, and patience. Once in a while, however, a tribe is born in a split second.
A good tribe? Not necessarily. But that is beside the point.
Recently I was enjoying a thriller by Ian Rankin. The most obnoxious character in the book was Inspector Abernethy, a visiting member of London's Special Branch.
Well into the story, Abernethy invaded the Crime Squad's office in Edinburgh for the first time. He read the sign on the door. "Crime Squad," he sneered, sounding amused as he took in the office and its inhabitants. He patronized the music being played and surveyed the premises as if he was thinking of moving in. He lifted a coffee mug from a desk, slurped from it, then made a disgusted face.
"The three Crime Squad officers," says Rankin, "were like a frozen tableau. Suddenly they looked like a unit: it had taken Abernethy to do that."
From co-workers to tribe in all of ten seconds.
Sometimes tribes form to achieve a common goal but other times a common enemy can galvanize a tribe instantly.
What common enemy can you think of that could galvanize your tribe into action?
Interesting thought, Judy! What would the enemy of my tribe be? Maybe... miscommunication? Or needless arguments?
The common enemy doesn't even need to be a person. It can be an abstract concept, as long as it's something that gets people fired up.
Posted by: Pace | December 22, 2008 at 08:34 AM