Hulu's "The Bear" cooks up some tasty leadership lessons

The Hulu series, "The Bear," -- which tells the tale of a classically trained chef who takes over his small family restaurant after the death of his brother -- holds a plethora of leadership lessons on showing respect, handling resistance to change, expecting accountability and managing conflict, writes Allen Perez, the SVP and creative director of production at Orci. "A successful team dynamic starts with value and dignity -- proactively recognizing the intrinsic worth of every single team member, regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or experience level," writes Perez.

Put it into practice: In "The Bear," Carmen's cousin is exceptionally resistant to changes Carmen makes to the business, which Carmen recognizes as his cousin's fear of moving outside his comfort zone and works with his cousin to help him see the benefit, Perez writes. "As always, clear, transparent communication about the reasons for change, its implications and what comes next is key."

Using hedging words and phrases like "perhaps" or "it's no big deal" can make you sound weak and indecisive, leadership expert Dan Rockwell writes. Such phrases can also minimize your ideas and make you appear uncertain, so Rockwell offers more appropriate ways to get your messages across.

Put it into practice: Aim for more affirmative statements, show interest in others' ideas and speak the truth with kindness. For example, skip "I just want to ask" and dive into the question, and swap "maybe" for "I'll explore that."

Creativity offers notable benefits for work product, but researchers say that its collaborative nature can build better colleague relationships, too. When employees realize how much coworkers contribute to their creativity, they feel more appreciative and socially close to them and engage in less rude behavior towards them, professors Trevor Foulk and Vijaya Venkataramani of the University of Maryland write.

Put it into practice: Leaders can encourage creativity -- and thus increased kindness -- by promoting brainstorming sessions and giving employees opportunities to collaborate. If some view the environment as unsupportive, start with a few small creative tasks, the researchers suggest.

After getting a professional time audit, Stylist columnist Ellen Scott began time-blocking, scheduling downtime, getting up later and doing something enriching, such as reading, before checking social media or watching TV. "The time audit and the resulting schedule made me understand that rest and relaxation are crucial parts of the balanced, purposeful life I want to lead," Scott writes.

Hummingbirds are able to pass through gaps that are narrower than their wingspans by either flattening their wings against their body and shooting through the opening like a bullet or rolling their body and turning their head to pass through sideways while flapping their wings. Hummingbirds use the bullet approach more frequently, regardless of the shape and size of the opening, researchers reported in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

The language we use every day can undermine both our authority and effectiveness, as Dan Rockwell suggests. Using "hedging" words and phrases such as "just," "maybe" or "I guess" can make people uncertain of your intent or desires. 

Check out Rockwell's list and make a conscious effort to recognize when you're using such hedging words and phrases and try substituting more confident words and phrases.

I mean, I guess it may be no big deal. What do I know?

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