I have new favorite show. Ted Lasso, on AppleTV, tells the story of an American football coach who goes to England to coach a soccer (also football, everywhere but the US) club. It’s surprisingly funny and heart-warming, and it’s shockingly smart. So smart that, as I watched episodes the first time through, I found myself thinking repeatedly about how I wanted to be more like Ted Lasso in my role as a high school principal. Every episode contains lessons that leaders can use in probably any work environment to help them support and therefore get the most out of their team members, and I’ve already begun to draw on these lessons in my professional practice. So, I did what I almost never do; I watched the series again. This time I took notes, and what will follow here and for the next few posts are my notes and thoughts about the leadership lessons of Ted Lasso and other characters from the show.
SPOILER ALERT: From this point forward, I will be writing about specific scenes and quotes from the show. Please make sure to watch the episode in question before reading on; it’s worth it. This post will include content from Episode 10: The Hope That Kills You.
CONTENT ALERT: Ted Lasso is written for adults. They use language I would never use in school or a work environment and there are sexual references in many episodes. None of it personally bothers me, but it might bother some viewers.
So, without further ado…
Episode 10: The Hope That Kills You
A lot of little things happen in Episode 10 that add up to some pretty important lessons for leaders…so let’s jump in!
“Coach Nate”
The episode begins with Nate being promoted from locker room attendant to assistant coach. Viewers know that Nate deserves it as he’s become an instrumental part of Ted’s leadership team and has fulfilled many of the duties of an assistant coach throughout the season. The players clearly know it too as they all gather to celebrate the occasion. The only one who doesn’t seem to know it yet is Nate, which in honesty is part of his charm. You have to love the attitude of someone who is truly willing to go above and beyond, not for themselves, but for the team. The message to leaders is this: create a culture that encourages, recognizes, and rewards hard work, wherever it comes from. Nate was clearly knowledgeable before Ted arrived, but Ted created an environment in which Nate felt empowered to share his ideas, encouraged to take risks, and enabled to succeed. As a result, the entire team benefitted. The other lesson: it’s important to grow leaders from within. Yes, organizations also need to bring in new team members and new leaders in order to stay “fresh” and innovative, but when we grow and promote leaders from within we demonstrate to everyone our commitment to one another’s growth and progress. It helps build trust and a sense of commitment to one another and the team as a whole.
“I believe in hope. I believe in belief.”
Before preparing for their final game of the season, Ted inspires his team by telling them that he believes in them and encourages the players by asking them to outwardly believe in themselves. I don’t know if there truly is a saying that “it’s the hope that kills you,” but I agree with Ted when he tells the team that “I believe in belief.” Belief is the first necessary step to accomplishing one’s (or the group’s) goals. I also believe that great leaders make sure that every member of the team believes in themselves and the team as a whole.
“Way to make the extra pass.”
Yes, AFC Richmond loses the game (I warned you there were spoilers). But the “Ted Lasso Way” wins in the process. That’s the genius of this ending. When Jamie makes that last pass, he embodies everything that Coach Lasso was trying to teach him over the course of the first half of the season, and everything he’s continued teaching the Richmond team since then too. Jamie, he who was all ego and could only consider himself, makes the extra pass and in doing so puts his team first. Yes, Coach Lasso is sad that his team lost, but he also knows that he doesn’t measure success by wins and losses. Instead, it’s his goal to help his players become better people, and he’s accomplished that with his most difficult student.
“Ain’t nobody in this room alone.”
Back to the sad part. And this is the thing: leaders need to be able to manage crisis. Here, the team has lost the final game of the season and will now be relegated to a lower league. In team sports, this is about as bad as it gets. The lesson: Ted brings the team together, tells them that their feelings are ok and should be honored, but reminds them that they are not alone. They have one another to help through the moment, and the season spent building a culture of relationships, collaboration, and trust will now be time well-spent as they find a path forward: together.
“Be a Goldfish”
Early in the season, Ted told one of his players to “be a goldfish.” In other words, he was letting his player know that mistakes happen and the best way forward was to learn and let go in order to move forward. Ted reminds his team of this now in their most difficult moment. Great leaders know this: mistakes happen. You can’t build a culture of risk-taking without being ready to deal with loss. Great leaders know how to navigate mistakes, use them as learning experiences, and leave them behind in order to move forward and closer to the goal. The best leaders help their team members do this too.
Please Come to the Principal’s Office 