Quickly Shifting from Jingle Bells to Disco Balls

Bits of wisdom and things learned on life's dance floor.

January 15, 2026

Dear Reader,

Greetings from the snow covered hills surrounding Parkwood Studios in West Virginia. Here we are, halfway through the first month of the new year. This felt like an excellent time to share one of my most treasured wisdom lessons for leaders.

This story is unique and powerful. So much so, that an earlier version of it served as the closing chapter in the book I co-authored several years ago. It was the coup de grace ... the grand finale.

Curious? If so, then I invite you to proceed to the dance floor.

Wisdom Lesson #71

What a Disco Ball Can Teach Us About Leading Well

If you’re reading this as a leader, there’s a good chance you’re tired.

Not the dramatic kind of tired—just the steady, familiar fatigue that comes from carrying responsibility, making decisions that affect others, and trying, day after day, to lead well. Most leaders I know aren’t chasing the spotlight. They’re simply doing their best to do right by people.

And that kind of leadership can be lonely.

If you’re of a certain age, chances are you’ve lived under the glow of a disco ball.

Maybe it was a skating rink—the smell of popcorn and rental skates, colored lights gliding across the floor as you tried to stay upright.

Maybe it was a dance hall, a wedding reception, or a dimly lit club where the moment felt important.

Wherever it was, the disco ball had a way of changing the room. Ordinary spaces felt alive. People loosened up. Something shifted.

I saw a disco ball recently.

Not spinning above a crowded dance floor. Not catching light in motion. Just hanging quietly in a room, still and unassuming. And yet—even at rest—it caught the light. Tiny mirrored facets doing what they were designed to do: reflect.

It struck me that even without movement, a disco ball holds its purpose. And when it begins to turn, that purpose is fully expressed. That made me think: a great leader is a lot like a disco ball.

Leadership, Reflected

A disco ball doesn’t generate light of its own. It doesn’t glow independently. Its role is to take the light already present and reflect it outward—multiplying it, sharing it, filling the room.

Great leaders do the same. They don’t hoard the spotlight. They don’t absorb the credit. They don’t insist on being the brightest presence in the room.

Instead, they shine the light back on their people. When something goes well, they say, “Look what they did.” When progress is made, they point outward. Not out of false humility, but out of a deep understanding that leadership isn’t about being impressive—it’s about being generous. And confidently humble.

That kind of leadership is quiet. And rare. And deeply felt by the people on the floor.

But reflection is only one facet of the disco ball—and only one dimension of great leadership. Let's look closer.

The Balcony Above the Dance Floor

A disco ball is mounted high in the room. Elevated. Lifted above the floor so it can see—and serve—the entire space. From that vantage point, it catches light others can’t.

Great leaders operate this way too.

They seek an elevated perspective. They look farther ahead than the team. They notice patterns forming, challenges approaching, opportunities emerging—not because they’re smarter, but because they’ve chosen altitude over immediacy. They resist getting trapped in the weeds. They zoom out. They hold tension longer.

Leadership scholar Ronald Heifetz describes this posture as “going to the balcony.” In his work on adaptive leadership (Leadership on the Line), Heifetz explains that effective leaders must regularly step off the dance floor—where the movement is constant and the pressure intense—and move to the balcony above. From there, leaders can see patterns and dynamics that are invisible up close. It’s not disengagement; it’s disciplined distance.

Leaders who never leave the dance floor constantly react to the noise. Leaders who go to the balcony gain the perspective needed to guide the whole room wisely.

Then there’s the structure itself. A disco ball is made up of dozens—sometimes hundreds—of tiny mirrors. Each one small. Each one essential. Each one catching the light from a different angle.

Great leaders understand this instinctively. They know the work doesn’t succeed because of one star performer. It succeeds because many people bring their own strengths, experiences, and perspectives.

The leader’s role isn’t to outshine those contributors—it’s to align them, to make space for their best work, to help the whole effort move together.

And when that alignment happens, something else emerges.

Energy.

When a disco ball turns, the room changes. Movement replaces stillness. Momentum builds. The atmosphere feels alive.

Great leaders do this too.

They break monotony. They add meaning and relevance. They remind people why the work matters—especially on the hard days. And when the pace quickens and the pressure rises on the dance floor, they help the team keep its footing and find its rhythm again.

As Leadership Turns, the Room Brightens

A disco ball never stays locked in one position. It turns.

Neither do great leaders.

They’re always learning. Always adapting. Looking for better ways to serve their people and respond to what’s changing. They don’t cling tightly to “the way we’ve always done it.” They stay curious. Open. In motion.

Finally, there’s the shape.

A disco ball is a perfectly balanced sphere. Not weighted too heavily on one side. Not fragile on the other.

Great leaders strive for this kind of balance as well.

They know their strengths—and they’re honest about their limits. Instead of trying to be everything, they surround themselves with people who bring complementary gifts. They build teams that balance vision with execution, empathy with clarity, courage with care.

They don’t fear being outshined. They welcome it.

And perhaps this is what sets great leaders apart most clearly. They understand that leadership isn’t meant to be carried alone. When responsibility grows heavy, when decisions weigh on the heart, when the work feels isolating, they don’t retreat inward or tighten their grip. They reflect the light outward. They invite others into the work. They allow the load to be shared.

It's Your Turn to Reflect ... and Ponder

So here’s the question worth sitting with this weekend—not as a test, but as an invitation:

When light hits your leadership, where does it go?

Does it stop with you? Or does it scatter—warming the room, energizing others, and making the whole space brighter?

The best leaders I know don’t try to be the source of the light. They become generous reflectors. Thoughtful guides. Steady presences on the balcony—and trusted partners on the dance floor.

And because of that, everyone shines.

Carry the Wisdom Forward

A Tool for Thoughtful Leaders

If these reflections on leadership resonated with you, our Wisdom Cards were created to help keep those principles close at hand. Each set includes 26 beautifully designed cards (printed front and back) offering 52 weekly gems of wisdom—gentle reminders around leadership, resilience, empathy, relationships, focus, and caring well for others. They’re designed to be returned to again and again: on your desk, in your journal, or wherever you pause to reflect.

You can learn more about the Wisdom Cards and place your order at themainthingpodcast.com/wisdom-cards.

In doing so, you’ll be supporting your own growth while helping us continue creating wisdom-centered work like this for our community.

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Word of the Week

Effulgent (adjective)

Pronounced:

ef-ful-gent | əˈfo͝olj(ə)nt, əˈfəlj(ə)nt

Meaning:

Shining brightly; radiant with light or brilliance.

Why it fits this week:

We often associate leadership with strength, authority, or decisiveness. But the most memorable leaders are often effulgent—not because they demand attention, but because their presence quietly radiates clarity, confidence, and care. Their light doesn’t overpower a room; it reflects outward, illuminating others.

Origin:

From the Latin effulgere, meaning “to shine forth.” Mid 18th Century from the verb effulgere, from ex- ‘out’ + fulgere ‘to shine’.

One Last Thing ...

If you hit the disco or the roller skating rink this weekend, I want to hear about it! Honestly, I'd even love to hear about your leadership wins, advances and ideas. You can reply here or head over to the website for more ways to connect.

Looking forward-

~Skip

Skip Lineberg

Host - The Main Thing Podcast

"Your 9-Minute Dose of Wisdom"

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