The Fly, the Dancing Man, and the Tummle Vision

“I had this vision of people dancing in a club and then they play a U2 record and everyone sits down!”

– Bono, lead singer with U2

Not an exact quote but what I remember of an interview (The NME or Q Magazine) from about 25 years ago. U2’s The Joshua Tree was many things but it was no party album – and while that's not a bad thing in itself, the band were clearly intent on moving in a different direction.

1987’s critically and commercially successful The Joshua Tree was followed in 1991 by Achtung Baby. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, so we’ll stick to the albums… and characteristically these two albums are as different as their sleeves.

The Joshua Tree: cinematic, serious with a black and white sensibility. Achtung Baby: playful, fragmented and vibrantly colourful. While musically there was an overlap, Achtung Baby stood out for being designed to get people on their feet. 

“We had become glum rock’s leading lights. Zoo TV (the tour in support of Achtung Baby) opened up all the possibilities of theatre; …and finally killed off the old idea that we were a band of painfully earnest people who didn’t know how to have a good time.”

- The Edge (U2’s guitarist), taken from U2 by U2 (Harper Collins, 2006).

People who entertain, showing others a good time and getting them on their feet, there’s a name for that: A Tummler.

A Tummler (pronounced “toom-ler”), is a Yiddish term for someone who is paid to get the party started. Originating from the German “to stir”, back in the 1950s/60s Tummlers were employed at Jewish weddings and holiday resorts to keep guests happy and lively.

Tummlers stir things up. Tummlers stimulate activity. Tummlers get in amongst people and make things happen. Organisations need Tummlers. You may even know a Tummler or two, if so: Find them. Watch them. Learn from them.

Tummling is an attitude, not a title. Therefore, like true leaders, Tummlers don’t wait to be asked.

In 2010 I was introduced to the Sasquatch Festival Dancing Man video, by advertising agitator Eaon Pritchard (@eaonp), in a session he led at NEoN (Dundee’s Digital Arts Festival). When I watch it now I see Tummling in its purest form. It starts with one dancing man doing his thing at a music festival and in less than three minutes he’s the centre of a crowd. The video has since been used at TED by Derek Sivers (link at the end of this article) as an example of leadership, followership and building a movement.

However you choose to interpret the film the key take-away has to be the infectious nature of the dancing man’s behaviour. Tummlers fire the imagination, they persuade and encourage – ultimately, Tummlers draw people to them because they inspire the inner–Tummler in all of us.

How do you recognise a Tummler?

For a start they won’t (currently) be called Tummlers. They won’t (necessarily) be department heads or managers and they won’t be the sort that wait for permission or for others to make the first move. 

Tummlers will be agitators. They will have cool ideas for involving people. They will regularly make things happen. 

Essentially, Tummlers are curious beings. Curiosity and showing an interest in people is how they connect to people and build trust. Trust produces influence and enables Tummlers to get results. 

Do you plan on stirring things up?

Sharpen your Tummle Vision, rediscover your inner-dancing [person], get ‘em up on their feet!

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If you enjoyed this please give it a 'like' and choose another read from the Building Better Playlist. 

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The Building Better Playlist

In 2015 I made a film called “Building Better”. In 2016, each month (approximately), I’m going to post about a song that illustrates the principles of “Building Better”.

So far the list looks like this:

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

?a plane pour moi – Plastic Bertrand

Heroes – David Bowie

Hot n' Cold – Katy Perry

Common People – Pulp

In My Life – The Beatles

Escape Myself – Nouvelle Vague 

Heart of Gold – Neil Young

Now that we have The Fly by U2 the Building Better Playlist 2016 is complete. Maybe there will be another playlist in the future. Perhaps a new theme. Any ideas?

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Jon Gill is a designer who develops and improves services in the public sector including a variety of local authorities, organisations and business. He also designs and delivers practical, hands-on digital and social media workshops.