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OPINION
Let ‘er rip
Lessons from The Bear show AEC leaders the value of purpose, process, development, and treating every client like a VIP.
I just finished tearing through season four of the FX series The Bear , and in addition to being a fantastic season of television, it provided several lessons on life and work that I find compelling for leaders of AEC firms. If you’re unfamiliar, The Bear follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a world-class chef who returns home to run his late brother Michael’s gritty Chicago beef sandwich shop. Armed with fine-dining experience and ambitious plans, Carmy sets out to transform the struggling family restaurant into something exceptional, using the same scrappy team that’s been there all along. Lots of yelling ensues.
Morgan Stinson
The show is beautifully shot (if you like Instagram pictures of people’s food, buckle your seatbelt), superbly acted, and very well written; the tension pours through the screen. But among the chaos, passion, triumphs, and battles (seriously, so much yelling), there’s a lot to learn from how this team of disparate individuals unite to achieve something great. I’ve grouped these musings as answers to three crucial questions (and I’ll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum): 1. Why do we exist? You’re likely familiar with Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why or the companion Ted Talk, but, “Why do we exist?” is a fundamental question for any business to
answer. This is especially crucial during times of change. Alignment on “why” is of paramount importance; misalignment causes chaos and confusion, common occurrences the audience sees on The Bear . Carmy’s “why” is an obsession with perfection and recognition via obtaining a Michelin Star. The passion to be great can be a worthwhile endeavor and certainly all businesses want to be great at what they do. But striving for excellence at the exclusion of other goals and considerations can be destructive and distracting to the overall purpose. Here are a few lessons from the show on “why” and “how” we do what we do:
See MORGAN STINSON, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 15, 2025, ISSUE 1601
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