I Believe in the Richmond Way

If there's one show that calls my family to the couch, it's Ted Lasso. Our two sons soak up the quick-witted remarks, and my English husband pokes fun at the cultural nuances. For me, the Emmy-winning television show is more than family-fun entertainment. It's a crash course in humanity and leadership. ?

The fictitious American football coach turned English Premier League coach is an unassuming leader on the soccer field (or football pitch, for those across the pond). Unassuming because Ted Lasso has no experience coaching the game and was merely a pawn in a bitter divorce. In a climate that was anything but welcoming towards him, Ted maintained his empathy, goodwill, and authenticity—a powerful example of leadership at its best. ?

Each episode reveals a lesson that resonated with me, lessons I've applied at work and home. Our people have probably heard me quoting Ted Lasso around the ServiceNow office. That's because beyond the banter and biscuits, taking a page from "The Richmond Way" playbook is a win-win.

"Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn't it? If you're comfortable while you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong."

—Ted Lasso

I liken Ted's leap to coaching a new sport, in a new country, to my career. I love pushing the envelope and thriving on challenges outside my comfort zone. For me, that's where the magic happens, even though choosing between two paths can be equally scary. You can choose the 'fake it 'till you make it' approach and wake up every day with severe imposter syndrome (trust me, I've been there!), or you can choose to be vulnerable; to let people know you're taking on something new and challenging, and don't have all the answers (yet). I've learned that people generally want others to succeed. It's especially true when you've demonstrated vulnerability. While initially uncomfortable, Ted shares his vulnerability and normalizes the conversation around mental health at work, modeling behavior and creating a work environment that allows for true belonging.

I admit I'm still working on telling myself it's okay to be vulnerable. I've found that when I'm willing to leap, there has always been someone – often several people – there to help me land and keep going. As is the Ted Lasso way, get yourself a Coach Beard or a group of Diamond Dogs. For me, my family and my best girlfriends are my hype squad. They challenge me when I need it, are brutally honest when they need to be, and serve as my sounding board when I need an outside-in perspective.

"Guys have underestimated me my entire life, and for years I never understood why – it used to really bother me. Then one day, I was driving my little boy to school, and I saw a quote by Walt Whitman, it was painted on the wall there, and it said, 'Be curious, not judgmental.' I like that."

—Ted Lasso

?'Hungry and humble' is one of our ServiceNow core values. Our culture is rooted in learning, whether it be people, cultures, customer care-abouts, new technology, and so on. But no one is expected to be an expert at everything. As a CFO, I use data to make most of my decisions versus assumptions and opinions. This applies to problem-solving at work and how we interact and connect daily. It's why asking questions and over-communicating on important topics is vital. It's the reason the dart scene (expletive alert!) is a powerful example of what happens when you don't ask questions and, instead, assume. And we all know the expression about folks who make assumptions!

I was an emerging leader when hybrid work had yet to reach the mainstream. My team was leading a massive cross-functional project. We were under a tight timeline when one employee slipped away and left. I'll be honest; I was less than thrilled. Later, I learned they had left due to a family issue and logged on to finish their work that night. At that moment, I realized two of the most potent yet under-utilized leadership skills—curiosity and empathy. Seeking to understand an employee's situation and leading with empathy is the most effective way to manage people.

That experience shifted my leadership approach for the better. Years later, I am grateful for having the ability and wisdom to lean into those superpowers as I managed my organization through the global pandemic and today's macro environment. ?

"Belief doesn't just happen because you hang something up on a wall... To believe in yourself, to believe in one another; that's fundamental to being alive."—Ted Lasso

Ted's iconic "Believe" sign and mantra is his answer to overcoming roadblocks, and it's the foundation of his leadership philosophy. Ted never had the technical experience to fill the shoes of a professional soccer coach. Yet, he has the self-awareness, humility, and empathy to fill the shoes of a leader – identifying his team's strengths and weaknesses and making decisions based on data and observations. It's a lesson we can all learn to inspire and motivate others. Like Ted, we must never lose sight of our capabilities and self-worth; we must never stop believing in believing.

?"Believe" is a powerful word. It's a driver for me. Yet, when we believe together, it's a force multiplier. I see it every day at ServiceNow. Our purpose is to make the world work better for everyone. It's a driver for us as a business because when we believe we can make the world work better for everyone, we're unstoppable.

So, I'll keep the big yellow sign on my wall as a reminder of my family's favorite show and what we, as leaders, can achieve together when we believe.

Sadly, there is one topic that Ted Lasso and I part ways on—his intense dislike of tea. The reali-tea is I love a good brew! ?