Lead With Humility — Leadership Lessons From “The Bear”
“The Bear” on FX/Hulu paints an anxiety-inducing picture of what it’s like to work in a restaurant and centers around fictional…
“The Bear” on FX/Hulu paints an anxiety-inducing picture of what it’s like to work in a restaurant and centers around fictional fine-dining chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto. Carmy takes over his late brother’s grungy, failing Chicago restaurant and is determined to make it a success.
The Bear is full of learnings for organizational structure and systems, and also displays some of the most realistic inter-team dynamics I’ve seen in a show without being corny or cute.
Don’t tout your accolades when you first arrive
Chef De Cuisine at one of the fanciest New York Restaurants
Food and Wine Best New Chef
James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef
Chef at Noma, a 3-star Michelin Restaurant in Denmark
One of those accomplishments alone would be impressive enough, but Carmy achieved them all before he turned 30. Yet he mentions none of it when coming into The Beef. Sure, people know, but he doesn’t talk about it.
He has no control over how others in the kitchen will perceive him, but he makes clear that those things don’t mean much to him if his current kitchen isn’t running successfully. While he may yell about his creature comforts (dull knives, not being able to find pots, stations being a mess), those are all expectations he has for his fellow chefs in this kitchen.
Carmy doesn’t tout his accolades but he makes a damn delicious beef sandwich that no one can deny is delicious, even if they begrudge him a bit. They respect his skills because they can see the outcome, regardless of his resumé.
Lesson: Be humble when you enter a new environment. The ecosystem existed before you were there, so make no presumptions that you understand the ins and outs of how things work. That said, use your past success to examine the landscape, and make assessments through that lens.
Lead by doing, and as you help others succeed and have success yourself, others will learn what it is that makes you special.
It’s like including MBA credentials at the end of a profile name on LinkedIn. You may be putting it there because you’re proud of your accomplishments, but it doesn’t warrant unearned respect. Massive amounts of people can get an MBA, but it doesn’t make them good at what they do.
Know what is true and guide others toward that truth
Marcus is in charge of bread for the sandwiches, but they’re a little crumbly. He gives every excuse as to why his setup prevents him from making good bread. Carmy doesn’t explode, doesn’t condescend, doesn’t over-explain what’s wrong with the rolls. He listens, asks Marcus to do his best, and notes he’ll work on getting better equipment.
Later when the bread is still crumbly, Marcus says it’s the mixer. Carmy slows things down, lowers his voice, and says:
“It’s not the mixer, the oven’s too dry. You need to take a baking sheet, fill it with water, put it on the oven floor, throw in another batch, okay?”
Clear, direct feedback on how to get the bread the way it needs to be.
Again Marcus challenges Carmy, saying “don’t tell me how to do my job.”
Another case where Carmy could explode and say “DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM.” Instead, he replies with a simple, “just do it,” and leaves Marcus to decide for himself how he should proceed.
Marcus adjusts and brings the bread back.
Carmy: “That’s good, you see that difference?”
Marcus: “Big time. Steam tray? You were right [pause] You can throw down, huh?”
Carmy has an opening to go on about how he’s above a restaurant like this, how he’s served the fanciest of meals, and rub in Marcus’ face that of course he was right. Instead, he asks for a fresh parm brick for the dish he’s working on. Marcus’ response? “Heard, Chef.”
This simple interaction captures so much in just a few seconds and closes with Marcus seeing Carmy as a solid contributor to the team and a potential mentor. Marcus instantly changes his tone to one of respect because Carmy took the time to teach him how to improve.
Lesson: Just because you know how to do something, doesn’t mean someone else is going to do it that way. You must determine how best to guide them there.
In some cases, it’s being firm initially, in others it’s better to let them fail and discuss the failure. Either way, remember you can’t force someone to do what you want them to do. When someone succeeds, analyze the success with them to further applaud the behavior that led them to that success.
Command-and-control bosses are not long for this world, so learn how best to work with your new team and adjust your style accordingly.
Earn trust/respect by actions, not resume
While Carmy may have his NOMA book in the kitchen, his cousin Richie continues to unload on him, belittling him and making fun of him for not understanding how things are done at The Beef.
Without hesitation, Carmy continues to display his work ethic by cleaning floors, tidying his station, continuing to cook amazing beef, and helping others improve their technique. He knows he can’t make The Beef a success on his own and if folks are hesitant to listen to him, they will at least see the outcomes of his work.
Lesson: Your actions will always speak louder than words. By working alongside others instead of in front of them, you can better show how to get things done and how you expect for them to be done in the future.
This falls in line with the philosophy “don’t ask someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself.” Carmy encapsulates this completely and is an excellent example of how to achieve success with others. As you continue to have success, others will begin to trust your decision-making more.
Continued work alongside individuals also shows them how to get things done to your standard (just like Marcus and the bread).
Final Thoughts
Carmy is not without flaws. As Season 1 moves on, those flaws reveal themselves in various ways, but the reaction to those flaws is lessened because he has already established trust through his humility and work ethic.
Through humility and mutual respect, you can approach any new team and make them successful.