How We Use The Word “Tribe”
Tribe Consulting takes seriously the ongoing conversation about the use of the word "tribe" in organizational and cultural contexts, and we want to be transparent about our relationship to that word and how we arrived at it.
The name Tribe Consulting is rooted in a specific literary and humanistic tradition — not in reference to Indigenous peoples, nations, or communities. Our use of the word draws directly from journalist and author Jane Howard, whose 1978 book Families — written with deep intellectual ties to anthropologist Margaret Mead — gave us this enduring line: "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."
That is the "tribe" we mean. The community of people who show up. The network of belonging that makes survival possible. The circle that holds you when the world falls apart.
We are aware that the casual use of the word "tribe" in organizational and corporate contexts can trivialize the immense historical trauma, forced displacement, and ongoing legal and cultural sovereignty of actual Indigenous nations. That trivialization is something we take seriously and explicitly reject. Tribe Consulting's mission is rooted in advocacy, systems change, and the belief that those harmed by unjust systems deserve to be seen, named, and fought for. That commitment extends without reservation to Indigenous communities.
Our use of this word is intentional, bounded, and accountable. It does not reference, appropriate, or claim any connection to Indigenous peoples, tribes, nations, or traditions. If members of Indigenous communities have concerns about our use of this word, we welcome that conversation directly.