There is something both comforting and revealing about a potluck.
No single person is responsible for the entire meal, yet everyone contributes to the overall experience. When it works, it works beautifully: different dishes, different styles, different strengths coming together to create something complete. When it doesn’t, the gaps are obvious. Too much of one thing, not enough of another, or contributions that, while well-intentioned, don’t quite meet the needs of the group. Teams operate in much the same way.
Every team is, in essence, a potluck. Individuals bring their skills, perspectives, and ways of working, with the expectation that, together, the group will produce something greater than any one person could alone. But that outcome is not automatic. It depends on awareness—of what the team needs, of what others are contributing, and of how your own strengths fit into the broader picture.
The challenge is that many of us approach teamwork the way we approach cooking at home: we focus on what we do best. We bring the dish we are known for. We refine it, perfect it, and take pride in it. And then we arrive, only to realize it may not be what the moment calls for. Before you get caught complaining about the rest of the meal and defending your own contribution, let’s check in with your “dish”…
1. When What You Bring Doesn’t Land
Consider the experience of bringing fresh, homemade bread to a gluten-free potluck.
It may be beautifully made. iIt may even be your signature contribution. But if no one at the table can enjoy it, its value is limited, not because of its quality, but because of its relevance. This dynamic shows up on teams more often than we like to admit.
Individuals invest deeply in their work, only to feel that it is overlooked or underappreciated. They may be proud of what they have created, yet find that it does not resonate with the team or does not move the work forward in the way they expected. The instinct, in these moments, is often frustration: Why isn’t what I bring to the table being valued?
Let’s pause and reframe. A more productive question is: Is this what the team needs right now?
Contribution is not only about excellence; it is also about alignment. The most effective team members are those who can read the room, understand the context, and adjust their contributions accordingly. This does not diminish their capabilities; it expands them.
“Effective teams recognize that leadership is not a fixed role; it is a shared responsibility that shifts depending on the moment.
2. Too Many Main Dishes
On the other end of the spectrum are teams where everyone arrives ready to lead. At a potluck, this On the other end of the spectrum are teams where everyone arrives ready to lead. At a potluck, this looks like a table filled with main courses or multiple centerpieces competing for attention, each requiring space, time, and focus. While abundance may seem like a positive problem, it often creates confusion. What anchors the meal? What supports it? How do these pieces fit together?
In organizations, this dynamic often emerges during moments of change or high-visibility work. Multiple individuals step forward with strong ideas, eager to drive outcomes and shape direction. While this energy is valuable, without coordination it can lead to duplication, friction, or stalled decision-making.
Let’s pause and reframe.
- Who is best positioned to lead this effort right now?
- And just as importantly: How can I contribute in a way that strengthens, rather than competes with, that leadership?
Effective teams recognize that leadership is not a fixed role; it is a shared responsibility that shifts depending on the moment. There are times to take the lead, and there are times to support someone else’s direction. Knowing the difference is a mark of maturity, not a reduction in influence.
3. Too Many Side Dishes
The inverse challenge is equally common, and often more subtle. Imagine a potluck where everyone brings a side dish. Individually, each contribution is thoughtful and well-prepared. But without a main course, the meal feels incomplete. There is no anchor, no focal point around which everything else is organized.
In teams, this can look like shared responsibility without clear ownership. Everyone contributes, but no one steps forward to drive. Decisions are delayed, direction remains ambiguous, and progress slows, not because of a lack of effort, but because of a lack of clarity. Most often, this shows up as moving meetings instead of focusing on priorities or multitasking during meetings to the point of redundant questions being asked…and answered.
Let’s pause and reframe.
- In these moments, leadership becomes situational. It is less about formal authority and more about recognizing a gap and choosing to fill it.
- It may require someone to say, “I can take the lead on this,” not as a claim to control, but as a commitment to move the work forward. Meeting output could look like assigning tasks to owners.
Before doing so, it is important to ensure alignment, understanding the “ingredients” at play, the constraints, and the needs of the group. But once that clarity is established, stepping into ownership can provide the structure the team needs.
4. Bringing the Right Dish
The most effective teams are not those where every contribution is identical, nor those where roles are rigidly defined. They are teams where individuals are attentive to the context, to one another, and to what the work requires. This attentiveness enables flexibility.
It allows someone to shift from leading to supporting without losing a sense of value. It encourages individuals to adapt their strengths to meet the moment, rather than defaulting to what is familiar. And it creates an environment where contribution is measured not by effort alone, but by impact.
In practice, let’s pause and consider a few simple questions:
- What does the team need right now?
- What are others already bringing?
- Where is there a gap, and how can I help fill it?
These are not complex questions, but they require awareness and a willingness to adjust.
A Final Reflection
A successful potluck is rarely about any single dish. It is about how those dishes come together to create a cohesive experience. The same is true for teams. Your strengths, your expertise, and your contributions matter. But their impact is shaped by how well they align with the needs of the group. Sometimes that means bringing your signature dish. Other times, it means bringing something entirely different. Because in the end, effective teamwork is not about showcasing what you do best in isolation. It is about contributing in a way that makes the whole stronger.
So the next time you find yourself working within a team, especially in moments of change, pause and ask: What am I bringing to the table?
About the Author:
Leslie Zemnick, Kotter Principal, based in New York City and Washington, D.C.
