Have you ever wondered what it takes to unlock hidden potential in your team? The FX show “The Bear” offers a masterclass in leadership and personal growth through one character’s journey: Tina. (Spoilers ahead – be forewarned!)
Let me paint you a picture of Tina in season one. She’s this sassy, loud, opinionated big-hearted veteran short-order cook at The Original Beef of Chicagoland (or “The Beef” to the regulars). Tina’s the kind of person with an incredibly hard shell, but she’s warm to the people she considers family. And, like many of us, she’s scared stiff of change.
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Enter Sydney, a young, super talented chef with fancy culinary school credentials. Carmy brings her in to help turn The Beef around, but essentially throws her to the wolves. He wants her to manage people, clean up messes, and make everything run smoothly, all with minimal support. So there’s Sydney, trying her best to juggle responsibilities she wasn’t prepared for. And Tina? She’s not having any of it. We’re talking full-on cold shoulder treatment here. Tina’s so resistant that she even sabotages some of Sydney’s dishes.
Sydney’s struggling, and Tina sees it. Despite Sydney’s cooking skills, she’s in over her head trying to lead this motley crew. Her confidence and impatience aren’t helping, especially with Tina. From Tina’s perspective, this newcomer is threatening the status quo, and she’s determined to make Sydney’s job as difficult as possible.
But here’s where it gets good. Slowly but surely, Tina starts to see Sydney’s raw talent. Sydney makes subtle improvements to Tina’s dishes, and even Tina can’t deny the improvement. She watches Sydney navigate conflicts uniquely, never backing down. You start to see respect forming. It’s like watching ice melt – gradual, but unmistakable.
As Tina’s guard comes down, something magical happens. She starts leveling up her own game, turning to Sydney for advice. You can see Tina’s respect for the craft of cooking start to rise.
Fast forward to season two. Sydney and Carmy decide to open The Bear, a new upscale restaurant. Sydney’s stepping up as head chef, but needs someone to fill her old role – a sous chef willing to work for next to nothing and take a chance on the unknown.
Carmy drops this nugget of wisdom on Sydney: “The problem isn’t finding talent, it’s finding someone who cares.” So who does Sydney tap for this crucial role? You guessed it – Tina!
The scene where Sydney asks Tina to be her sous chef is beautiful. Tina is glowing, understanding how big this opportunity is. The vote of confidence lights her up. The scene ends with Tina giving Syd a gleeful hug, then waiting for the bus home, smiling to herself. It’s a moment that sticks with you.
Now, why am I telling you this? It’s not about TV – it’s about the power of recognizing and nurturing potential in your organization.
Too often, when there’s a promotion or a big role to fill, we want to bring in an outside hotshot to save the day. But hiring decisions are tough, and vetting top talent is even tougher. You never know if it’s going to work out.
You can teach skills, but you can’t teach someone to care. That’s the most essential part of being on a team.
Turnover is expensive, and the wrong hire can cost you big time. So why not give the people right under your nose the chance to step up? That’s what Sydney does with Tina, and it pays off.
We see Tina go to culinary school, sharpening her skills. She sticks it out as The Bear tries to make a name for itself. She throws herself into being a student again, and that pride transforms her. But here’s the kicker – she’s still the same Tina at her core. Someone believed she could be more, and she started to believe it too.
Isn’t that what the best leaders do? They bring out the best in people. They see potential where others might not, and they nurture it.
So next time you’re thinking about making a big hire or promotion, take a page out of Sydney’s book. Look around at the Tinas in your organization. Who’s got that spark? Who truly cares? Those are the people who, with a little belief and opportunity, can transform not themselves, but your whole culture.
That’s the real secret sauce of great organizations – it’s not about finding perfection, it’s about cultivating potential. And that, my friends, is a recipe for success (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
