Potluck Leadership Conversations Are a Shared Table, Not a One-Chef Show

Picture a meeting where the leader does all the cooking - serves every dish, announces each course,  thanks everyone for ‘coming’, and sends them home still hungry. That’s what happens when you pitch all the ideas and never taste what your team can bring. The result: disengagement, lost wisdom, and a lingering sense that contributions aren’t welcome.

Why leaders hog the kitchen:

• The believe having all the answers proves competence

• They doubt the team’s palate for strategy and innovation

Either way, the organization misses out on the collaborative feast that diverse perspectives provide.

Set the Table for Dialogue

Trade the monologue for a meal where everyone brings a dish. Start with an open‑ended invitation:

• “I have a few thoughts on this project, but I’d love to hear about your ideas first.”

• “What would the ideal outcome look like from your perspective?”

• “Help me understand why this area feels urgent to you.”

• “What information could change the customer’s experience?”

Give people space to prep: let them spitball ideas solo, swap notes with a neighbor, then share. Aim for four to six contributions before any decision talk. While they’re plating their insights, resist the urge to interrupt - scribble down your reactions instead of speaking them. Listening first signals you value their recipe for success.

The table’s set. Will you invite the team to bring their best dish, or keep reheating your own leftovers alone?