A few months ago, I wrote a post about my new favorite TV show, Ted Lasso, giving some background on the show and my enthusiasm for it.
Apparently, I am not alone in my opinion about the show.
Jason Sudeikis, who plays Ted Lasso, has already won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award and was just nominated for an Emmy for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
Well, now the Wall Street Journal has a wonderful story about how coaches are incorporating some of Ted Lasso’s techniques into their strategy.
Tyranny is out. Empathy is in. Coaches are getting the most of players by relating to them, not dictating to them, while keeping them accountable without coddling them. They are behaving more like Ted Lasso.
- Utah Jazz basketball coach Quin Snyder needed some help dealing with a tricky situation at work not long ago. He decided to invoke the folksy wisdom of the fictional American football coach managing an English soccer club. “I don’t know if you watch ‘Ted Lasso,’ ” he said. “But sometimes your favorite animal is a goldfish because it has a memory of 10 seconds. That’s where we need to be.”
It doesn’t matter that Lasso doesn’t know anything about the sport. What happens on the pitch is the least demanding part of his job. He soothes the neuroses of his star players. He injects his role players with confidence. He uses his superpower of emotional intelligence to balance competing personalities, foster an environment where everyone is capable of good work and build the culture of a team initially resistant to his charms.
- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was an early fan of the show, tweeting his praise for the series when most people were ready to dismiss it. “If there is a lesson on the show, it is that culture beats scheme,” Kerr said in an email. “The guy knows nothing about soccer but he has created a great atmosphere with the club that leads to winning. The most famous example of Kerr going full Lasso was the time the Warriors went small in the 2015 NBA Finals and he deflected credit for the schematic tweak that helped win a championship to Nick U’Ren, a previously anonymous special assistant to the head coach. Lasso also takes suggestions for set pieces from his players and promoted Nate the kit man to assistant coach since he was already crafting strategy in addition to cleaning laundry. (in reality, given the timing, it may have been Lasso going full Kerr.)
- Chris Paul was binging the show between film sessions as the overachieving Phoenix Suns made the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, his coach sounded like he was interviewing for Lasso’s staff as he discussed the bond he’s developed with his players. “When they make fun of me,” Monty Williams said, “that’s a sign that we’re tight.”
It isn’t a coincidence that NBA players and coaches are studying this TV series. Lasso is a realistic portrayal of an effective leader in 2021 partly because his character was inspired by real people. And they don’t work in soccer.
Basketball seems to be the source of much of Lasso’s wisdom.
I’ve never heard of the show before, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for it, and perhaps lasso it with my Tivo. Although this Lasso guy is inspiring coaches, if I were them I wouldn’t stray too far from UCLA Bruins football coach, “Red” Sanders advice, who said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
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it’s on Apple TV, which many people don’t have. we only have it becuase of a free trial.
and thanks for that tidbit about Red Sanders – I always thought that was a quote from Vince Lombardi!
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I’ll bet Vince stole that quote from Red.
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I’m sure he did. good coaches copy, great coaches steal…
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I haven’t heard of it, but I’m going to have to check it out, Jim. 🙂
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we really enjoy it…
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Oh, Apple TV. I wondered why I had never heard of it. By the way, I remember watching Steve Kerr let Draymond Green draw up plays during a timeout once. The players were automatically engaged, possibly because it was a different voice. I wonder if that would work in the classroom.🤣 Hey Jimmy, take over for a while, will ya?
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I’m sure the other students would like it if one of their own took over class!
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Empathy is a wonderful attribute to have! I never seen either show but sounds like it should be a must watch for coaches. Part of their training perhaps? 🙂
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that would be fun training!
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Now I am all excited about a TV program that I can’t watch, as I am an orange in an Apple world. But Sudeikis is a wonderfully comedic actor. “We Are the Millers” was hilarious and who couldn’t appreciate some of Anniston’s scenes in that movie. “Horrible Bosses”, both one and two, were also classic good laughs.
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I can’t remember Horrible Bosses too well; mayhave to give them a look this weekend…
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i’ve wanted to see this one for along time, and have heard nothing but good about it, but alas no apple tv. i’ll hav to wait until i can find it somewhere else in the future. sounds wonderful thought, and i love that his style is being incorporated into the real world, you can never have too much empathy.
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I agree; you can never have too much empathy…
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I guess I’m in the same position as many here without a subscription to Apple TV (I already take Sky Sports, Netflix, Amazon Prime plus a mandatory tax for BBC!). But it sounds like a good show and right up my street. We have some good “real” examples over here of World Cup rugby and cricket winning coaches and captains who were very “off the wall” so to speak. Great post👍👍
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thanks, Dr. B! We already pay for so many services as well; we got Apple TV free for a year, and tried to take full advantage of it.
I’m hoping to teach myself how cricket works before some championships later this year…
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Ha ha, good luck with that!
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🤓
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Unlike just about everyone else who has commented I do have Apple TV+ and absolutely love the show. Can’t wait for season 2 which I think is due next week. A couple of points that those you have quoted seem to have missed, though: firstly, whilst Ted became universally popular and created a great environment around the club, he did actually get them relegated! Secondly, they have all failed to mention the little box of biscuits he baked and gave the club owner every morning. It’s all about the biscuits…
For other readers I should perhaps point out that here we call the game football: something to do with every team member actually kicking the ball. And biscuits to us are what you call cookies, which to us are just one type of biscuit – or those mysterious things on your computer…
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I wonder how many people knowwhat relegated means!
The Wall Street Journal article did mention the freshly baked cookies, I mean biscuits, that Ted brings to his boss. Ted gets to know what makes each person tick…
and
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Hopefully not many – I should have put a spoiler alert warning on that comment! I’m glad the WSJ did mention the biscuits – as you say, they play a significant role in his psychology in building a relationship.
and…?
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and not to burst your bubble – the WSJ called them cookies…
yea, good question; not sure where that and came from!
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Well, they would, wouldn’t they? 😂
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They need better editors. 😀
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Or British ones…
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Perfect solution.
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and…
The new season launches here a week tomorrow 👍
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thanks for the heads-up; I am sure it will be the same here…
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I watched a trailer earlier – looking good 👍
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Haven’t watched the show. It is only available on Apple TV here, and we don’t want to pay for yet another streaming service. But if the show ever shows up conveniently somewhere else, I will definitely give it a try. It does sound entertaining.
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it is a shame that it is on Apple TV, since I don’tthink as many people have that service. We have it as a reuslt of a one-year free trial…
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Well I am due for a new MacBook so hopefully I will get a free trial when I get around to purchasing one.
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hopefully it’s the same deal…
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I’m finding more and more employers hiring based on culture fit rather than skills. They’ve finally realized you can teach skills but not compatibility.
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I agree. soft skills trump tech skills in the long run…
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I’m watching an interview with Gary Numan and he said he doesn’t audition band members. He gets referrals, takes people’s word, and invitees the potential member over to hang out. If he gets along with them, they’re hired!
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I don’t recognze gary’s name, but I like the way he operates!
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Famous 80s electro musician… Cars, Down In The Park, Are Friends Electric…
Now he makes Industrial Rock, sorta halfway between his 80s music and Nine Inch Nails. I’m a MASSIVE fan.
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Well I’m a big fan of The Cars, so I guess I know his music!
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Lol… no, not the same. He had a hit called Cars.
I saw The Cars live a few years ago. People panned the sound but I must have been in a sweet spot because they sounded great to me!
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wow – I just showed my lack of musical knwledge! 🙂
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Cars in person!
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You’re showing it again… Ric Ocasek died in 2019. They’ll never perform again.
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oh well… maybe I’ll see a Cars tribute band…
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I have not heard of that show but I must agree that ‘We are the Millers’ is a personal favorite! I never tire of watching it!!!
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it is one of those rare movies that I still laugh at every joke, even though I know it’s coming…
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Me too!!
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👍
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Have yet to see the Millers and don’t have Apple TV but I do like Ted’s team building philosophy. Before I retired my employers said they wanted to build a team but the only thing they looked at were the #s. Since I didn’t think the #s said very much about what I contributed to the team I decided it would be easier to retire than to try to convince them of the error of their thinking!
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yes, sometimes it is easier to make the decision you did. I hope at some point you get to see Ted Lasso…
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Everything is linked, we just don’t know it or haven’t seen it yet
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quite true…
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