Ringleaders versus Rainmakers

“Is he like their ringleader?” Valerie asked.

“More like their rainmaker.” Sky replied at the communities conference meeting, which sparked a whole conversation about organizing models in the progressive/radical movement.

The ringleader is running their own gang.  Oft charismatic, this person offers a vision or at least a direction and strongly shapes the role of other gang/tribe members.  There is a sense that elevating the ring leader and their agenda will strengthen your whole house and that often deferring to their wisdom in terms of action will advance the members beyond where they would be outside of the collective.

Rainmakers are resource people and networkers.  They need not be charismatic nor have leadership skills, they need to  know how to fix and manifest things.  They probably don’t know how to get electricity from the nearby light poll hooked up to the recently occupied squat, but they know the person who can do it and they know how to get her to come over soon, so we can stop using these candles before we burnt the whole place down by accident.

It was a good day yesterday.  Inspiring conversation with BB and Rob Jones and Ali.  And also this personal clarification of roles, that i am more the guy who manifests stuff than the charismatic leader.