Something occurred to me today during my daily "news cruise," the first stop being Seth Godin's blog. I don't disagree with his insistence on the importance of "tribes" in internet space. Being the chieftain of a tribe can be a more than full-time job--with all the frustration and fulfillment that implies--and it's drop-dead critical, simply because so few people are willing to paint a bulls-eye on their chest--which is largely what any leadership position involves. That said, being the sort of person who can connect tribes is equally critical. I have absolutely no data to back this up, but my gut hunch is that the chieftains are typically not the connectors, simply because the roles (and skill sets involved) don't necessarily overlap.
The upshot is, don't reserve 100% of your attention for the chieftains in any group; save some for those who exist in the intersections of two or more tribes. It's the difference between today and tomorrow.
