Call me a sap, but I just love Ted Lasso. I know Ted would not approve of my saying I ascribe to the “Lasso Way”, because he would insist his is the “Richmond Way”. But I have used Ted’s philosophy of coaching and interrelationship as my inspiration for many years now (since discovering the Apple TV show during the pandemic during a cottage stay with my family). I’ve been particularly excited by the latest season–the finale just dropped this week–because it feels to me like the focus has shifted more towards team-building and the qualities needed to do it well. It’s also touched on lifelong learning, our ability to grow and change if we really want to (growth vs. fixed mindset), personal integrity and truth-telling and much more.
I think the biggest influence the Ted Lasso’s approach has had on me is in the way he represents whole-hearted leadership. It’s certainly how I aspire to lead, and it’s how I’ve grown (I think) in my teaching over the years–being less of a “sage on the stage” and more of a “guide on the side”. There are many who feel that initiatives in team-building are flaky, but I have learned over time that if you build your team by creating a feeling of togetherness and belonging, every member of the team starts to feel empowered to bring their best selves to the table.
While this topic has had increasing importance in my current iteration as Interim Dean in our Faculty of Music, it has been a feature of my teaching studio and my own singing practice for some time. I seek to set up the spaces in which I work to foster community, and these communities help people to feel more included, more valued, and make them want to do their best. I believe deeply in this kind of work. There are lots of other ways we can educate and work with people, but for me, the Lasso Way of helping people believe in the power of the group to achieve greater things than we ever could individually, using the unique skills and attributes of each member, is the only way. BELIEVE.