Thoughts From Ken 

Of Tribes, Manifestos, and True Fans  

Remember the beginning of the movie Jerry Maguire?  The title character has a flash of conscience and clarity and he decides he wants to change the industry where he's dedicated his career?  So what does he do?  He writes his manifesto, "The Things We Think and Do Not Say:  The Future of our Business," and distributes a copy to everyone he works with.

Though this move gets Jerry fired, he goes out into the world to lead this change himself.  And his vision inspires at least one other person (his assistant, played by Renee Zellweger) to follow.  In the end, he gets happiness, some measure of success (a much more grounded version than he had before), and of course he gets the girl.  (It is a Tom Cruise movie after all!)

Well, what does this have to do with nonprofit leadership?  We in the nonprofit world are in the change business - changing society, changing lives, changing the status quo.  We know the world can be better than it is, and we are committed to making it so.

Seth Godin, the Internet marketing guru, writes (in his wonderful little book Tribes) that leading change has  never been easier than it is today - thanks to social media and the Internet.  You don't need scale.  You don't need permission.  You just need to lead.

So many people are looking for connection and the chance to be part of a movement they can believe in.  Godin says a "tribe" is what you get when a group of people with a shared interest get connected to a passionate leader, and then you layer on a way for them all communicate with each other.

Many of the best nonprofit leaders I know are effective because of how they build and care for their tribe.  They're organizers, and they inspire and engage like-minded people and give them something to do.  They connect their followers to the organization and to each other, and then it's the tribe that goes out and recruits other passionate followers.

Breaking through the clutter today really is all about passion.  Kevin Kelly, founding editor of Wired Magazine, says we need to be cultivating "true fans."  He writes, "a true fan is a member of the tribe who cares deeply about you and your work.  Too many organizations care about numbers, not fans.  What they're missing is the depth of commitment and interconnection that true fans deliver."

The first thing Godin advises a leader do in launching their tribe - write a manifesto.  He says, "It doesn't have to be printed or even written.  But it's a mantra and a motto and a way of looking at the world.  It unites your tribe members and gives them a structure."

With Steve Jobs' passing, many of us have had a chance to revisit some of Apple's brilliant marketing campaigns; especially "Think Different."  The text of that manifesto was powerful, inspiring, and about so much more than selling computers.

Or if you are intrigued, you can check out the website 1000 manifestos.com.  Produced by a group called The Manifesto Project, their goal is to create a freely available resource of 1000 manifestos.  Why?  Their mission is "to inspire people to stand up, make change happen and create a world that works."

Inspire.  Change.  Create a better world.  That's us!  That's the nonprofit and philanthropic sector!  Yes, evaluation and data matters, and there's lots of our execution work that is mundane.  But if we don't inspire and lead and build our tribe of "true fans," we won't have much of a chance to change the world for the better.

Communicating a manifesto is a powerful way to lead change.  Consider writing one out, and sharing it broadly.  What change are you (or your organization) trying to make in the world?  Jerry Maguire's manifesto inspired him and some others to be the change they wanted to see in the world.  When he walks out of that big office, I want to march out right with him.  That's leadership!

As I was writing this column, I decided to take my own challenge and try to put a Courage to Lead manifesto into words.  I invite those of you who are engaged with or appreciate our work (our "tribe") to consider replying to me with some feedback, and let me know if you think this hits the mark or not.

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To change the world for the better, we've got to slow down, listen to each other, and to our own inner wisdom.

At Courage to Lead, we come together in retreat to build a vibrant community of non-profit leaders who are breaking patterns of competition and isolation.  We encourage each other, care for each other, and help each other reconnect with our passion for our work.

Nurtured by a deep and trusted group of peers, we can re-emerge holding and sustaining a courageous and positive vision for the future - for ourselves, our organizations, and our communities.

There are many others who share your passion and commitment as a nonprofit leader, and the depth of responsibility and stress that comes with the job.  You are not alone.

If this sounds like a community where you belong, join us.