Life and Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso

Like many during the pandemic, I have sought inspiration and distraction from online entertainment. Joining the ranks of millions of others, the discovery of Ted Lasso tops my list. The show has been nominated for 20 Emmys in its first season and has ushered in a breath of fresh air and optimism during these challenging times. This success led me to reflect on why the character and the show have resonated so deeply for so many.

I’ve come to believe the show is more than a pleasant diversion. As someone who has invested decades studying and emulating how leaders operate, I’ve enjoyed watching Ted Lasso in action as a fictional leader – yet one whose example and lessons can be applied in our everyday lives.

Here are five lessons that I believe make Ted Lasso an effective leader – lessons we can all benefit from as family members, neighbors, citizens, teammates and leaders.

You Are in the People Business:

Ted Lasso is a fish out of water as an American football coach trying to coach soccer in the UK. He doesn’t know much about soccer, but he does know people -- and he’s able to motivate and inspire his team to succeed. Ted’s approach reminds me of the lesson my own mentor, Bill Campbell, often repeated: “I don’t care whether you are in healthcare, technology, manufacturing or sports, job #1 as a leader is to realize you are in the people business.” Bill spoke from experience, having gone from being a college football coach to a Silicon Valley legend. Anyone who has changed jobs across companies or industries knows this lesson as well. Domain knowledge is important, but not sufficient. The key to success is the people. When you invest the time to connect with and care for people in an authentic way, you will achieve great things.

Recruit and Empower a Diverse Team:

In the show, Ted recognizes he needs help. He seeks to surround himself with a diverse and talented group of coaches, including those with whom he does not always agree. Like President Lincoln with his famous cabinet dubbed the “Team of Rivals,” Ted Lasso harnesses the diversity and wisdom of this group and defers to them when appropriate. Great leaders know success isn’t about personally having the right answer, it is about getting to the best answer, regardless of where the answer originates. Surround yourself with people who look at the world differently than you. The more you bring diverse perspectives and experiences into your world, and the more you seek to understand before seeking to be understood, the stronger the outcomes you will achieve.?

Assume Good Intent and Role Model Benevolence:

Ted embodies two valuable leadership traits: he assumes good intent and doesn’t personalize slights. From the players that mock him, to the reporters that question him, to the owner that doubts him, he seeks to understand “the why” behind their skepticism and frustrations. Instead of taking it personally, Ted treats his adversaries with respect and focuses on role modeling respect and decency in the hope those around him will change. I have always aspired to take a similar approach in my own career. Blowing out someone else’s candle won’t make yours shine any brighter. Be the change that you seek in the world, set the example you’d like to see, and believe that others will rise to the occasion.

Celebrate the Success of Others, Even If It Comes At Your Short Term Expense

At the end of the first season, a selfish player (Jamie Tartt) leaves Ted’s team to join a competitive organization. In a high stakes game, the two teams meet and Jamie scores the winning goal by making an unselfish pass – something Ted had previously coached him to do countless times to no avail. The loss was costly, relegating Ted’s team to a lower division. Instead of being upset, Ted sends Jamie a note, telling him how proud he is that he finally passed the ball and became a team player. Ted celebrated Jamie for his growth, even though that growth brought Ted defeat. Good leaders celebrate the success of those who learn, grow and succeed. In my own experience at Intuit, we always celebrated people advancing their careers, even if it led them to leave the company. Our aspiration was to cultivate an environment where everyone can learn what is needed to achieve their aspirations. Many times our alumni returned to the company (just as Jamie Tartt returned to Ted’s team in season two), but sometimes they didn’t. We didn’t keep score. From our perspective, our number one job was to invest, coach and grow top talent, helping individuals achieve their personal true north, no matter where it may lead.

Measure Success Holistically and Over the Long Term:

Last but not least, Ted Lasso measures success holistically. Success for him is more than points on a scoreboard. Even though his team gets relegated to a lower division, he stays focused on the relationships of the team, how every individual is doing and feeling, and whether their individual and collective capabilities are improving. He believes that by taking this broader, holistic view of success, it will ultimately lead the team to rise in the standings. At Intuit, we take a similar approach. We are a proud public company that is committed to delivering excellent results for our shareholders, but we believe taking care of our employees, customers and the communities first will deliver the greatest returns for shareholders over the long term. Great leaders understand that success is built in an environment where people are the highest priority, psychological safety exists, and humility, curiosity and empathy persist even in the face of adversity. The end result will be a team that is not only built to win, it will be built to last.

The conditions of the past 18 months have been difficult on all of us, regardless of the role or title we hold in life. Ted Lasso is a fictional character with the advantage of being able to avoid some of the challenges and messiness of the real world. Yet the lessons we can learn from Ted Lasso can be applied in our own lives and leadership styles. Kindness, respect and positivity work in a world where relationships matter – and relationships do matter. After all, if your dreams can be achieved alone, you aren’t dreaming big enough.