TOGETHER, Resilient Buckeyes Create Something to Remember

“I promise you, there is something worse out there than being sad, and that is being alone and being sad.” - Ted Lasso

It has been a few days since the Ohio State men’s basketball team made its exciting and improbable run at the Big Ten tournament in Chicago. One of the special things about basketball is that there are opportunities in March for teams to create something magical even if the span of the season has been more about challenge than triumph. Watching the Buckeyes secure three upset wins in the span of three days was memorable not just because of the results, but in what drove them to do it. And, although the story didn’t quite reach a full Hollywood level ending, it leaves us with an important leadership lesson to unpack.

From January 5th to February 23rd, the Buckeyes won only once in 15 games. Just typing that fact onto this screen puts the magnitude of that time frame into perspective. That was a long seven weeks for fans, but it no doubt felt like an excruciating eternity for the coaches and players that had invested so much of themselves into a season that they never thought could go so far south. It’s pretty safe to assume that there were a lot of difficult emotions to navigate during that time, and mad and sad are likely among those. But, as leaders, we need to remember that mad and sad are intrinsically selfish emotions and they can be devastating to any team unless those emotions are experienced TOGETHER.?

On Wednesday, the Emmy Award winning Ted Lasso series returns to Apple TV for its third season. One of the best quotes from the uplifting comedy drama on love in leadership is delivered by Coach Lasso (Jason Sudeikus) after an especially crushing defeat. In his comments to the team after the game, he says, “I promise you, there is something worse out there than being sad, and that is being alone and being sad. Ain’t nobody in this room alone” (“The Hope That Kills You” S1E10). THE ONE THING WORSE THAN BEING SAD - Ted Lasso

The most salvaging thing about being a part of a team or a family is that when we are confronted with life events that force us to face emotions that could be destructive individually, if we face those emotions together they become a galvanizing force that doesn’t just help us to endure but can often lead us to prosper. What we saw from the Buckeyes in the Big Ten tournament was a group that survived a really dark time in the season’s journey because they ultimately found a way to persevere TOGETHER. And, TOGETHER, they gave us all something to remember.

Love to Lead. Lead With Love.?

This article was written by Blair Albright.