Leadership lessons from a Bear

Hi Players,

I just finished watching the second season of The Bear (Disney channel)

I planned to enjoy a relaxing binge, free of any thoughts, but as often happens to me,

I could not stop seeing the many leadership lessons.

The show is about Carmy, a haute cuisine chef who inherits his older late brother's sandwich shop and aims to transform it into a 3-star Michelin restaurant.

Without too many spoilers, I can share that the change he wants to create is not welcomed (an understatement) by the old staff, who used to do things differently.

The show presents a series of challenges (also an understatement) on the way to changing the place and culture and provides insights into how leadership can make it happen.

Here are four leadership Lessons I loved the most: (there are many more …)

1. The approach toward making mistakes is Empathy because (S---) happens

Marcus the Baker pushes the limits of his mixer, causing a major electricity failure.

Marcus apologizes and promises Carmy that he will never make a mistake again.

Carmy says: Yeah, you will," But not because you're you. 'cause [s—-] happens."

2. Nurture and challenge your team members to grow and trust they will rise to the occasion if you provide them with the tools.

Carmy and Sydney, his young sous-chef, understand that the staff needs more skills to succeed. They send two of their chefs to cooking school, one for an internship in the best restaurant in town to learn, and the baker is sent abroad to learn from the best pastry chef.

Despite the initial reaction and resentment they receive from the staff, they don’t give up.

You can witness how people grow when they are appreciated and how they feel when someone sees who they can become, even if they don’t believe it themselves.

3.  Change is possible when there is a strong sense of belonging to a team that struggles and overcomes the challenges together.

Despite having different responsibilities in the restaurant, everyone contributes to the transformation effort beyond their formal roles. 

 4. Change is hard, so you must find ways to enjoy the process for yourself and others.

Carmy loves his work, but the chaos, the toxic culture, and the resistance to change he faces take a toll on him.

As he reflects on his feelings, he says: Maybe if I could provide more amusement or enjoyment for myself, it would be easier to provide for others.

Start playing first, the others will follow 🥳

Stay playful always

Rina 😃