The ultimate leadership lessons from Ted Lasso
Usually not the one to watch TV shows, I recently came across Ted Lasso upon recommendation from a friend. Before I knew it, I was immersed in the show and finished the entire first season over the weekend. It was so well worth the time spent for it was funny, witty and such a feel good show. And as I thought about it more, it dawned on me that the show also had some amazing life and leadership lessons. The ones that resonated with me the most were:
Optimism is Infectious
Ted Lasso is the Eternal Optimist. His almost over-the-top enthusiasm is a little odd to the team and also his partner at first, but despite their initial resistance, they inevitably warm up to his “can-do” attitude and it literally creates a ripple effect in the entire team and management.
Take Genuine Interest in people
The one thing that stood out for me is the fact that Ted is genuinely interested in every person on the team. His gestures don’t reek of an agenda but come from a real interest in people. He cares about the well-being of each player, which lifts the entire team and sets the culture for how people interact with each other and support one another. When you get to know people, you’re more empathic and can better understand their experiences. You relate to them and they relate to you and that forms life long connections that stay beyond teams or organizations you work at.
Be more Kind
The world needs more kindness and people need to hear how you appreciate them, and they need to hear it often. This is one of Coach Lasso’s signature moves. He constantly tells everyone how much he appreciates them, not just people on his team or those close to him- but everyone. It’s just a part of who he is and he means it.
Live in the moment
“You know what, the happiest animal in the world is a goldfish. It’s got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish”
All of us fail, falter and fall short of our goals and are generally so hard on ourselves by dwelling on mistakes of the past. And then we let these past shortcomings prevent us from moving further. Its okay to make mistakes and its okay to move on from them- its time to normalize it. So the next time we make a mistake, why not be a goldfish, shake things off and keep going!
Teamwork makes the dreamwork
Great teams make magic happen and great leaders help their teams discover their magic! Ted doesn’t know much about the game of Premier Leagues (he is actually a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England). But what he does know is how to coach a winning team. He does not try to master the sport but instead, makes room for the experts to do what they do best and focuses on his strengths by setting the vision, developing his team, building relationships and making tough decisions. Great leaders have a team of leaders around them to achieve greatness together and they let the stars shine.
If you have not yet watched Ted Lasso, I highly recommend you do and If you have watched it, I’d love to hear about your favorite leadership lesson from the show.
