1. Tribal Leadership:
Tribal Stages and Leverage Points
Si Alhir
salhir@gmail.com
http://salhir.wordpress.com
202-596-8202
Tribal Leadership
1 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

2. Tribes and Tribal Leaders
~ Tribes and Culture
~ Tribes naturally move one cultural stage at a time on a
scale of one-to-five
~ Culture emerges from language (theme), behavior (mood),
and relationship structures
~ Tribal Leaders and Tribal Leadership
~ Tribal leaders upgrade tribes through cultural stages using
leverage points
~ Tribal leadership involves nudging language and fostering
relationships
Tribal Leadership
2 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

3. Stage 1: “Life sucks” (2%)
Alienated - Undermining
~ People are alienated from each other
~ Relationships are undermining
~ Behavior expresses despairing hostility
~ People have a more negative world- or life-view about themselves,
others, and life in general
~ Tribal leaders help people recognize and appreciate any positive
aspects of life
Tribal Leadership
3 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

4. Stage 2: “My life sucks” (25%)
Separate - Ineffective
~ People are separate from each other
~ Relationships are ineffective
~ Behavior expresses being apathetic victims
~ Others-over-I Perspective
~ More negative about themselves
~ View others’ lives as being more positive
~ Leverage Points
~ Help people actualize themselves through efforts & results
that can be accomplished individually
~ Foster confidence and independence
~ Encourage individuals to form dyads
Tribal Leadership
4 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

5. Stage 3: “I’m great (and you’re not)” (49%)
Personal Domination – Useful (Dyadic)
~ People experience personal domination of one member over others
~ Relationships are established for their usefulness
~ Behavior expresses being lone warriors
~ People form dyadic relationships
~ I-over-You Perspective
~ More positive about themselves and their efforts & results
~ View others’ efforts & results as being more negative
~ Leverage Points
~ Help people actualize themselves through efforts & results
that require a team
~ Foster confidence and interdependence
~ Encouraging individuals to form triads
Tribal Leadership
5 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

6. Stage 4: “We’re great (and they’re not)” (22%)
Stable Partnership - Important (Triadic)
~ People experience stable partnerships
~ Relationships are important
~ Behavior expresses tribal pride
~ People form triadic relationships organized around resonant
core values and a noble cause
~ Organizations compete against other organizations
~ We-over-They Perspective
~ More positive about their tribe’s efforts & results
~ View the efforts & results of other tribes as being more
negative
~ Leverage Points
~ Help the tribe actualize itself through history-making
efforts
Tribal Leadership
6 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

7. Stage 5: “Life is great” (2%)
Team - Vital (Triadic)
~ People experience a team of stable partnerships
~ Relationships are vital
~ Behavior expresses innocent wonderment
~ People form networked triadic relationships organized around
history-making efforts
~ Organizations compete with other organizations
~ People have a more positive world- or life-view about their tribe,
other tribes, and life in general
Tribal Leadership
7 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

8. Thank You
Si Alhir
salhir@gmail.com
http://salhir.wordpress.com
202-596-8202
Tribal Leadership
8 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.

9. Tribal Leadership:
Leveraging Natural Groups to
Build a Thriving Organization
http://www.culturesync.net
Ten-year, 24,000 person, organizational research study
Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright
Tribal Leadership
9 Copyright (c) 2010 Sinan Si Alhir. All rights reserved.