49 pages • 1 hour read
Seth GodinTribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Seth GodinNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem originates from the Roman Poet Horace, whose Odes contained the Latin dictum, “carpe diem quam minimum credula postero” (“pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one”). The phrase carpe diem has been absorbed into modern-day parlance as “seize the day,” but a more precise and nuanced translation would be “pluck the day,” which connotes “the plucking and gathering of ripening fruits or flowers, enjoying a moment that is rooted in the sensory experience of nature” (Liu, Chi. “How ‘Carpe Diem” Got Lost in Translation.” JSTOR Daily, 2019). Nonetheless, the phrase has been assimilated into American culture independently of its original intent; it is now an enjoinment to take action and snatch opportunity when it arises.
Tribes espouses a carpe diem attitude with exhortations like “Through your actions as a leader, you attract a tribe that wants to follow you” (37); and “The sooner you [act], the more assets and momentum you have to put to work” (54). The book interlaces anecdotes and encouragement with inspirational rallying cries. Godin concludes with a pragmatic appeal: “Are there thousands of reasons why you, of all people, aren’t the right one to lead? […] Probably. So what? You still get to make the choice” (84). Though he admits there is never a perfect time, he urges individuals to see what will happen when they seize the day.
The Factory Model
Godin regularly refers to the factory and managers. By factory, Godin means “any organization that cranks out a product or a service, does it with measurable output, and tries to reduce costs as it goes. I mean any job where your boss tells you what to do and how to do it” (22). Likewise, managers are the “bosses” in the factory, and they’re more interested in consistency than innovation. In contrast, leaders “use passion and ideas to lead people, as opposed to using threats and bureaucracy to manage them” (13). Godin argues that while stability used to suffice for business success, all of that has changed. Society’s growing collective consciousness, spurred by the Internet, battles against stale organizations and lethargic bureaucracies. People invest in socially responsible companies; demand ethical behavior from corporate agents; call out industries for exploiting or exacerbating inequity; and search out individuals who champion altruism. The factory model’s illusion of security has been shattered by mass layoffs, diminishing profits, and deteriorating public safety policies. The gig economy has only become more prevalent since the book’s 2008 publication. Godin made many accurate predictions, among the most significant being his vision of an accelerated technological work environment that eschews convention.
Fear
Godin analyzes how fear controls behavior and stops individuals from reaching their potential. People cling to stories of failure: “We use them to stoke our fear, to rationalize our desire to hide” (51). Godin believes fear is the primary obstacle to self-actualization and that the key to conquering it is belief. The belief can be in a novel idea, innovative technology, righteous cause, or daring rock-climbing move. Tribes underlines commitment to any belief as worthwhile because, as an optimalist would comment, “[t]he desire to fail on the way to reaching a bigger goal is the untold secret of success” (61). Godin does not advise readers to take heedless leaps of faith; he emphasizes awareness and encourages following until one is ready to lead. Ultimately, “[t]he essence of leadership is being aware of your fear (and seeing it in the people you wish to lead). No, it won’t go away, but awareness is the key to making progress” (25). It is human nature to be sensitive to stories of failure and to impose these stories onto one’s personal narrative. This is why Tribes celebrates heretics for their endurance in the face of adversity. Worry is a constant—it exists because, evolutionarily speaking, it’s useful for survival. However, society is now ceaselessly changing. With an environment of constant flux, the riskiest thing a person could do is remain static.
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