Alright, let me tell you about this ‘tribal chief’ thing I ended up doing recently. It wasn’t some big official title, more like a situation I stepped into. We, a bunch of friends, kept talking about getting together for a proper barbecue, you know, like we used to. But weeks were passing, and it was all just talk. Everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to make it happen.
I got a bit restless with the lack of action. You know that feeling? When something just needs a little push? So, I decided, okay, I’ll be the one to herd the cats this time. Didn’t make a big announcement or anything, just started doing things.
First off, I picked a potential date. Just threw one out there in our group chat: ‘Hey, how about this Saturday? Weather looks decent.’ That got the ball rolling. Some people couldn’t make it, so we juggled a bit and landed on the following weekend. Okay, date fixed.
Then, the location. My backyard was the obvious choice, easiest for everyone. So I confirmed that. Next, I started thinking about the actual stuff we’d need. Food, drinks, grill, charcoal, music maybe?
I put together a basic list of essentials: burgers, sausages, buns, some salads, drinks. Didn’t want to make it complicated. I volunteered to grab the main meat stuff and the charcoal. Then I asked in the chat, ‘Who can bring what?’ Kinda delegated it out. Sarah said she’d do salads, Mark offered to bring drinks, and Dave had a portable speaker.
Putting It Together
The day before, I checked in with everyone. Just a quick message: ‘Still good for tomorrow? Got your stuff?’ Made sure the grill was clean, borrowed a couple of extra chairs from my neighbor. Little things, but they make a difference.
On the day itself, people started showing up. I got the grill going early. Directed people where to put the food, where the drinks cooler was. Kept an eye on the grilling, made sure nothing burned to a crisp. Mostly, I just tried to make sure things flowed smoothly, that everyone felt welcome and knew where things were.
- Checking the weather forecast was key.
- Making a simple list of who brings what really helped avoid chaos.
- Just gently nudging people worked better than being bossy.
- Having the basic setup ready before people arrived made it feel organised.
Honestly, it wasn’t some massive undertaking. But it took someone deciding to just take responsibility for the moving parts. Being the ‘chief’ in that situation just meant coordinating, making a few decisions, and making sure the basic plan actually happened. The barbecue was great, everyone had a good time, and it felt good to have made it happen instead of just talking about it. That was my practical run at being the ‘tribal chief’ for a day.
