Turning the Light On

Written by Tyler Head

Then, something caught her eye—a string hanging from the ceiling. We moved closer, and she wrapped her tiny fingers around it, pulling with all her might. She pulled and pulled… and finally, the light went out.

Immediately, she looked down. It wasn’t pitch dark, but the awe, the curiosity—gone.

She didn’t know where to go from there.

So, I reached down, wrapped my hand around hers, and together, we pulled the string again. The light returned. Her little blue eyes lit up. She could see. She could take it all in, explore, and make sense of the world around her once more.

It made me think: How often do we leave our people in the dark?

Not intentionally, but in the dark nonetheless.

Darkness in organizations looks like uncertainty, confusion, and fear. It’s the absence of clarity—the kind that fuels safety, confidence, and momentum. It’s what happens when expectations are murky, accountability is absent, and no one really knows what winning looks like—daily, weekly, quarterly, or yearly.

And in that darkness? Innovation stalls. Problem-solving weakens. Creativity shrinks.

Leaders don’t need to have all the answers. But they do need to reach out, wrap their hand around the team, and help pull the string.

Because when the light is on, people see the path forward. They take ownership. They move with clarity and purpose.

So, how will you turn the light on?