Read this if you think you can run The Bear
What if your favorite mom-and-pop deli is transformed into something high-end super quick? We are talking of The Bear, Carmy, and his perfectionism.
With its typical stressed-out portraits of Jeremy Allen White, the show has made noise for all the right reasons – awards, accolades, critical and public appreciation. Yet, here’s a question I found myself asking (to be honest, I saw the same thing later on social media too): Why can’t Carmy relax? It’s a sandwich shop. It’s not a Michelin-star restaurant.
Until I realized I couldn’t relax either. I wanted Michelin stars in my sandwich shop, too.
Let’s rewind.
Carmy comes from a great, even enviable, background with standards, expectations, and all that jazz that his new team couldn’t care less about. Unsurprisingly, that’s how most managers approach their new teams. Their backgrounds are clean, too, with impeccable performances and impacts as ICs and long-drawn plans and strategies to make it big that the team just doesn’t care about.
Why? It’s just another day, and they’d rather keep up with the tasks than you.
It’s a common mistake that new managers make. We show up with the same high standards we once attained as an IC and expect the team to match them. But here’s the deal: your team is not you. Your team members are also not clones of you.
As Carmy takes over, he insists on precise techniques, exact measurements, and high-quality ingredients, even for seemingly simple dishes like sandwiches. The existing staff, accustomed to a more relaxed approach, struggle to adapt to Carmy’s exacting standards, leading to conflicts and stress.
That’s how it goes in workplaces, too. The new manager is often left wondering why their team can’t match up while the team thinks about why the manager is so pushy.
So, what’s the way out?
Let’s steal our lessons from the problem case itself.
- First up, clear communication matters. Carmy and the team struggled because neither side was talking it out well. But they did, and with shared ideas and aspirations, the situation eased. One major lesson for the manager was that you need to set and define expectations in clear terms for the valuable people on your team. Otherwise, their expertise would not be utilized efficiently. Do you do that? Let’s test. (it’s a free assessment)
- Second, take things one step at a time. No one enjoys uprooting methods built over months and years, especially when they have no idea why the change is happening. If you want to switch things up with your team, go slow. Take actions one step at a time, explain and answer questions, and demonstrate the positive impact to win approval for the changes. This ties in with step 1.
- Work with the team, not above them. When things change, you need to be on the ground, not just observing but executing and experiencing the change. This way, you can support through the transition toward higher performance standards. If some guidance or help is needed, be free to provide it, like you might have seen Carmy take impromptu lessons on cooking techniques or ingredients.
There’s one more frustrating part. You will say you did it all – you talked, trained, and traveled a mile in their shoes, yet it led nowhere. That’s because change takes time. When you are taking over a new team or even trying to change within yours, you will have to give time. Plus, nurture the early growth you witness with appreciation and recognition.
Let’s bring change: one feedback at a time.
We’ve built Candor as a tool to share anonymous feedback from employees with team managers. It’s free. Give it a spin here and start connecting.
