Today, Lynn Terry published an amazing blog post that delved deep into her recent (not so pleasant) experience with affiliate marketing.

After many frustrating weeks handling multiple problems that came from her endorsement, she was at the end of her patience. She even drafted out a long blog post explaining what went wrong, and apologizing to her audience… but she did NOT publish it.

Because she is guided by a powerful philosophy…

“YOU Matter - That’s Why…”

The company she was an affiliate for mattered to her. So she sent a copy of her draft to one of the founders. He invited her to visit their offices so they could discuss it further.

Again guided by the principle that “YOU Matter - That’s Why…”, Lynn felt her readers deserved to know the facts, and so she adopted the role of ‘investigative reporter’… in the interest of her tribe.

She made the 6 hours round-trip to the company’s offices, and spent a day going over the problems that had plagued what was a mammoth launch.

And in her expose that’s on her blog, she strips the veil off how a smart organization learns from mistakes… and shared the experience with her audience.

As I read through what was a long post, I felt the engagement and rapport Lynn was developing with me through her words. And it was NOT the prose or language, but the underlying sincerity and attitude that motivated her to write it.

All through it was the undertone, the deeper message…

“I Care About You - That’s Why I’m Sharing This With You”

We hear harsh and even vindictive criticism and angst directed against ‘gurus’ and ‘big business’ and ‘rock stars’… and the simplistic explanation that the whiners and complainers are just ‘jealous’ or ‘envious’ or ‘negative’.

But when you think about it, quite to the contrary, it is apparent they are reacting subliminally to an equally powerful force, an unvoiced message, a pervasive feeling.

These ‘remote, impersonal, ivory tower inhabitants’ communicate in a way that screams:

“I’m RIGHT - Here’s Why…”

It evokes the gut-level reaction that screams back, just as loudly if not louder:

“Frankly, my dear, no one gives a damn! We want to know we matter. We want to know you care. We want to feel cherished, respected, acknowledged.

When you fail, we’ll condemn and criticize you, we’ll gleefully tear you down - because we don’t like you rubbing it in our faces that you’re oh-so-greater than us!”

Kudos to Lynn Terry for sensing that need - and acting in a way that reveals her as a caring, considerate and empathic champion for her tribe.

A leader everyone in her tribe will now appreciate more, respect more and follow willingly along a path she wants to lead us.

May your tribe grow, Lynn. And more power to your arm!