Holiday Potluck: A Leadership Case Study in Who Should Bring What

Holiday Potluck: A Leadership Case Study in Who Should Bring What

By Scribe Diva Ink

Every holiday potluck is really just a leadership exercise disguised as food. Because let’s be honest: Not everyone should bring everything.

Some people are incredible cooks. Some people are incredible helpers. Some people are neither — but they have transportation, and we need that too. 😂

The real magic is knowing who should bring what.

The Visionary

Brings the main dish. They plan, prepare, and pray over it. If they fail, the whole table collapses. This is a high-trust, high-stakes role.

The Strategist

Brings the sides. Understands balance, timing, and “don’t bring coleslaw if we already have four salads.” They see the whole meal — not just their plate.

The Executor

Drinks, ice, utensils. They get it done. No flair. No drama. No ego. The potluck doesn’t work without them.

The Delegator

Foil, napkins, paper plates. They know their strengths — and the ancestors told them to stay out of the kitchen. Self-awareness is a gift.

The Wildcard

Shows up with a dish nobody asked for. No one knows what’s in it. No one eats it. But we still love them. (From a distance.)

The Comedian

Brings nothing but laughter. And honestly? That carries the whole room.

The Appetite-Only Employee

Arrives empty-handed but ready to sample everything twice. Not on the spreadsheet. Not on the signup sheet. Still somehow on the plate rotation. Present? Yes. Useful? TBD.

The To-Go-Plate Bandit

Makes a plate before they eat. Sometimes two. Sometimes three. Doesn’t matter who cooked — they are committed to “long-term sustainability.” This is succession planning gone wrong.

The Unassigned Overachiever

Shows up with a complicated dish no one asked for. Usually containing raisins. This is how conflicts begin.

The Leadership Lesson

A great potluck — like a great team — works when:

• People know their strengths

• Ego stays out the kitchen

• Nobody fights for roles they weren’t built for

• Everyone contributes from their lane

• And yes… some folks only bring their appetite — plan accordingly

Because every contribution matters… But not every contribution belongs in the oven. 😂

Closing Reflection

Holiday gatherings teach us something workplaces often forget: You don’t have to bring everything to matter. You just need to bring the right thing. And as for me?

Because I care deeply about my family… I’m bringing anything but a dish. I know my lane. Ha!

— Scribe Diva Ink

A CJMarie Holdings Brand “Writing is how I interpret and communicate what I see—shaping insight into strategy, and strategy into meaningful, measurable possibilities.”