themadpeacock

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us is a good book, short, quick read with some interesting ideas.

There’s a lot on leadership, naturally, and on how leadership does not need to come from, or lead to, the top of the org chart. Leadership is a choice you make not a title you are promoted into.

From a product marketing perspective however the big idea in the book is that tribe dynamics in the internet age is changing the way we all consume. Seth proposes that we are no longer purchasing average products from companies that don’t care.

He proposes that we now purchase in two distinct ways:

1. We care about a product, we research it, we listen to the tribe, aspire to a lifestyle, we care.. and then pay whatever it takes to join.. $5 for a coffee!!
2. Or we don’t really care, then we want it good enough, easy and cheep, no brand loyalty.. don’t care, why isn’t it free?

Very little middle ground… and why would you want to be there anyway?

I find this trend idea very interesting and now that I am looking I see it everywhere; video games, furniture, music, food, software.. and because companies are just tribes of people they now consume B2B products the same way.

“Good for the price” is no longer a very viable strategy, best or cheapest, pick one.. wow!!

Best quote in the book..

“Life’s too short to fight the forces of change. Life’s too short to hate what you do all day. Life’s way too short to make mediocre stuff. And almost everything that is standard is now viewed as mediocre.”