Tribal Leadership and Community Leadership
Part 2 – The Ugly Side
Tribal leadership and community leadership, as explained by the exceptional book Tribal Leadership, written by Dave Logan, Halee Fischer-Wright, and John King, has become a well-regarded guide for improving organizational culture. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061251321/ I highly recommend it.) Its core idea is simple yet profound: every organization is made up of tribes (silos), or naturally forming groups of 20–150 people, and these tribes operate at different cultural stages ranging from undermining and disengaged (Stage 1) to innovative and world-changing (Stage 5).
This framework can be incredibly empowering—or dangerously misleading for community leaders. The model helps leaders in organizations and communities assess their culture and chart a course for growth. But like any powerful tool, its impact depends entirely on how it’s used.
I found the book insightful and empowering, and it also enables pattern recognition for both good and bad implementations. Let’s explore the ugly ways community leaders apply Tribal Leadership in real-world settings.
In fragile, nascent ecosystems, where resources are limited, relationships are forming, and influence is still up for grabs, this framework can be used not to grow a tribe but to control it.
Here’s how the ugly misuse of Tribal Leadership plays out in startup ecosystems struggling to define themselves, and what to do instead.
Using “Stages” to Justify Control
In newly forming ecosystems, the most visible leaders often emerge from those who have been around longer or talk the loudest. When they adopt the Tribal Leadership language early, they may position themselves as “Stage 4 leaders” and quietly frame others as being “less evolved.”
They gatekeep opportunities under the banner of “culture fit” or “tribal alignment,” effectively consolidating power by labeling dissenters or newcomers as being at “Stage 2” or “Stage 3.”
This isn’t culture-building, it’s narrative control disguised as leadership. And it can suffocate new ideas and people before they can breathe.
Idea Theft Disguised as Collaboration
In emerging ecosystems where trust is still forming, innovation often begins through small conversations, back-of-the-napkin brainstorming, or informal meetups. People are generous with their ideas because that’s what early-stage collaboration demands.
But too often, someone with more visibility or influence takes that idea, repackages it as their own, and launches first.
It’s framed as “execution,” but it’s exploitation. And when that happens under the guise of “we’re all building together,” it poisons the well for future collaboration. The message becomes: share carefully, or don’t share at all.
This behavior pushes a startup ecosystem toward scarcity thinking, eroding trust before it’s fully built.
Performing Stage 4 While Operating at Stage 3
Some leaders in early ecosystems know the right words: purpose, values, and collaboration. They speak the language of Stage 4 but still make decisions unilaterally, compete for the spotlight, and hoard relationships.
This performative leadership is particularly dangerous in small communities, where people seek absolute alignment and clarity.
Behind the scenes, they’re still thinking: “I’m great”—the hallmark of Stage 3.
But publicly, they declare: “We’re great,” the hallmark of Stage 4.
This mismatch creates a culture of false harmony, where people are afraid to speak candidly, assume bad behavior is the norm, and quietly disengage. The ecosystem looks active from the outside, but is hollow at its core.
Weaponizing Culture to Delay Progress
One of the most insidious ways the Tribal Leadership model is misused in startup ecosystems is through stalling.
Some leaders say, “We’re not ready yet. We have to get the culture right before we act.”
But they’re really saying, “I’m not ready to share power, take risks, or be vulnerable.”
This delay tactic slows down events, partnerships, funding programs, or founder support, using culture as a shield against momentum. This is a form of slow sabotage in environments with scarce time and attention.
Startups can’t afford to wait for perfect conditions. Culture is shaped through motion and our behaviors.
Blocking New Leadership to Protect Turf
In nascent ecosystems, leadership isn’t earned, it’s often assumed. And once someone becomes the default voice of the “startup community,” they may resist others rising too quickly or gaining influence.
Even when new leaders emerge with fresh ideas or broader networks, they may be subtly sidelined: not invited to strategy sessions, not promoted on public platforms, or discouraged from launching initiatives.
This isn’t collaboration. It’s turf protection, often masked by cultural language. The very people who talk about shared purpose may quietly view others as threats to their influence.
The result? Brain drain, fragmented efforts, and a culture that whispers abundance while acting out of fear.
The Takeaway to Reclaim the Model in Startup Ecosystems
The Tribal Leadership model isn’t the problem; how people use it in high-stakes, low-trust environments determines its value.
Here’s how early-stage leaders and organizers can ensure they apply it with integrity:
- Use stage language to understand culture, not judge people. Every founder, mentor, and connector brings different energy. Labeling them holds them back.
- Protect intellectual generosity. Celebrate the originators of ideas, not just the executors.
- Match words with actions. Don’t speak Stage 4 if you’re leading like Stage 3. Your tribe will feel the gap.
- Build as you go. Action builds culture. Don’t stall progress waiting for ideal alignment.
- Share the stage. Invite, uplift, and rotate leadership. If you feel threatened by others stepping up, it’s time to look inward.
The Path Forward: From Scarcity to Shared Power
In small or emerging startup communities, every action has an outsized weight. One misstep can set collaboration back years. But one act of authentic leadership, sharing credit, supporting someone’s rise, or openly owning a mistake, can move an entire ecosystem forward.
Tribal Leadership can transform startup culture, but only if we use it not to rank people or protect our place, but to build the trust that true innovation requires.