Unexpected Impact of engaging the “bus drivers” #DanceFloorTheory, #CultureOfConnection
In this brief monologue, Tom Krieglstein recounts a memorable moment at Queensborough Community College where a food‑service employee, instead of simply delivering meals, stayed to fully participate in the program. The employee’s genuine engagement warmed Tom and sparked a reflection on his “Dance Floor Theory.” He explains the theory’s core metaphor: “change the bus driver’s attitude, change the whole bus’s attitude,” meaning that influencing a single individual who interacts with many others can ripple positive change throughout an entire community. Tom concludes with a call to action for community programmers to identify and actively engage these key influencers—whom he calls “bus drivers”—so their positive attitudes spread organically across the wider group.
