What does "The Bear" teach us about Leadership?
My MUST watch television show of 2023 is "The Bear" (Hulu, Disney+). I describe it as a love letter to food, Chicago and doing difficult things (with a sprinkle of family dysfunction). It has a lot to say about leading others at work (though I probably see that in many things!) If you read on, I promise that I'll not include too many spoilers, but if you hate knowing anything about a story before diving in, come back after you've watched.
The protagonist is Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a highly decorated chef who moves back to Chicago to run his brother's failing Italian Beef restaurant after he tragically commits suicide. Immediately, Carmy is confronted by the challenge of running a mold-infested, inefficient and deeply indebted restaurant during COVID, all while his head is filled with the exacting standards of Michelin starred establishments. While his initial goal is to stabilize the restaurant to preserve his family's tradition (season 1), his dream is to convert it into a world-class dining establishment (season 2).
Amid some brilliant acting, cinematography, music and sheer chaos, "the Bear" offers these lessons on leadership:
Spend time outside to get better inside - on multiple occasions, Carmy and his sous chef, Sydney make decisions to look outside their restaurant for inspiration. They sample food from other restaurants, send their most experienced chefs for training and even send their pâtissier to Copenhagen to experience truly excellent desserts. They come back having learned, are more motivated and are better at what they do.
Your team will grow quickest through their own failures - there are a LOT of failures in this show. Carmy encourages his team and Sydney in particular to make mistakes in order to arrive at their best work. When it doesn't measure up, he tells them directly but is also effusive with praise when they really deliver.
Own your mistakes and show vulnerability - Carmy is deeply insecure and at some of the most stressful moments, loses his cool. In each of these moments, he owns his mistake, and comes back to the team with a heartfelt apology. He builds a lot of trust in the process.
Don't be afraid to push your team - from the beginning, Carmy looks to improve everything about the restaurant - the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the kitchen and the speed of service. At one point he tells Sydney that (if you want a Michelin star), "you have to care about everything more than anything." He pushes Sydney and others incredibly hard and is tough on them even though he knows they are doing their best.
Help your team (re) discover their purpose - Carmy's cousin Richie had played a leading role at the restaurant for years though he had little formal training. In the many changes Carmy makes, Richie begins to feel like he doesn't have a purpose and his mood and attitude suffer. Over time though, Carmy helps him see his gift for hospitality and relating to customers. After discovering this purpose, his energy and enthusiasm for work come alive.
I challenge you to choose one of these lessons and apply it to the leadership of your team. I hope you can make the time to catch this brilliant show and that you enjoy it as much as I did.