There aren't that many TV dramas set in the workplace (I don't think). There are lots of dramas set where people are working (hospitals, police stations, newspapers), but the large majority of them focus on the work itself: the expertise of the doctors, the detective skills of police, and so on. Very few dramas are about the workplace itself (notable exceptions: The Office (UK/US), The West Wing, Utopia (Aus), TwentyTwelve/W1A(UK))
Ted Lasso was the breakout hit of the pandemic and follows the fortunes of a fictional English football club – AFC Richmond – and their American coach (the eponymous Ted Lasso) over three seasons. But for a series about a football club, there is surprisingly little football covered in Ted Lasso - it's all about the workplace. So what does Ted Lasso tell us about having a great work life?
Lessons from Lasso
1. Find a job you like and you are good at
It seems really obvious doesn't it? I always think there's a venn diagram that overlaps the things we like doing and the things we are good at. Take singing or cooking as examples. It's quite possible to love doing one of these things, and be terrible at them. The thing is, when we are doing something we love, we put that little bit extra into it. Because we love it, it feels less like work, we are invested in getting it right - and because we are good at it, we get it right more often. There's nothing like it for a confidence and happiness boost.
Let's call it the "Roy Kent effect". Because Roy Kent is probably the best example of this. At the end of his footballing career he is at a crossroads and ends up commentating, and Roy is a pretty good commentator - but he doesn't love it. It's filling a gap for him until he finds the thing he loves - being a coach. Is he enjoying coaching because they are winning or are they winning because he's good at it and he loves it?
2. Don't let things fester
Unfortunately, most of us don't work completely on our own and so chances are we will have to interact with others day to day. Our interactions matter, and because we're dealing with other humans who are just as complex as us inevitably there are disagreements in approach, misreading of intent or personality clashes. Poor Nate suffers from this in the second season just as he has landed his dream job. Many of us know that these types of clashes at work can really affect our wellbeing. But what would have happened if he had just spoken to Ted about how he was feeling as soon as it came up? Would Ted have realised the impact he was having? Would Nate have understood it wasn't about him at all? If you want to know exactly how it should be done, Keeley is the queen of addressing problems head on in a way that neutralises any conflict.
3. Ask for help when you need it
None of us are good at everything. And sometimes when we aren't great at something it's easier to hide it and pretend or and cover it up. It's like we believe that showing some vulnerability might make people think we aren't good at our job. Whereas actually all it shows is that we are human. So asking for help isn't a sign of weakness - it's actually a sign of strength. Take Rebecca's photo op in the first season - she doesn't know how to show up for the red carpet and so asks for help - Keeley shows her how to stand (and gives her some moral support when she's getting her photo taken). Rebecca is actually brilliant at asking for help from a range of people across all the seasons. Does it ever make you think she's not competent?
This goes double when it comes to mental health. If you are feeling anxiety that is stopping you from functioning (like Ted), it's super important to get some help to see you through. (You can get support often for free and confidentially through your organisation's EAP provider, or go to your GP). Alternatively you can get support here in the UK and here in Australia).
4. We are all better when we work together
It can feel competitive sometimes being part of a team. Everyone is fighting for the spotlight, for the boss's attention, for promotion, commission, or a pay-rise. It can be really hard to see others picked ahead of us and some times we perceive that as a reflection on our own performance. Nate is super annoyed when Roy is brought in as coach in the second season as he interprets it that he's falling out of favour. What he doesn't see is that each of the coaching team bring their own strengths. Ted is great at the team connection, Roy is great at the football, Beard brings the discipline and the day to day routine, but Nate is the tactician who knows the way to get past the other team.
Roy says it himself - "Nate's good at all of the stuff I hate doing and I'm no good at". They are better as a coaching team together. Put yourself in opposition to other people is the path to envy and resentment - finding a way to play to everyone's strengths not only makes us happier, but makes us look way better when it comes to the inevitable performance review. Plus how much more fun is it to do things with other people rather than against them?
5. Know when to call time
Even if you've done all the things above, some things are outside of your control, and ultimately, if you are not enjoying your work, you need to change something. It's easy to forget sometimes that our happiness is completely within our control. It's most straightforward when there's a line crossed. This is the black and white experience for Nate when he quits West Ham - Rupert's behaviour is unacceptable to him and so he leaves. But you could argue it was also the right thing for him to go to Richmond when he did. He didn't feel able to fix things with Ted, he was miserable at work and he seized a great opportunity that came his way. He owned his own future.
It's much harder to see the line when things change slowly over time. As outsiders it's easy for us to see that Ted is pretty miserable for most of his third season at Richmond, but it kind of creeps up on him. And it's not because he doesn't like his job, or his colleagues. It's just not the right thing for him personally at that time. So he decides to call time - even though there's more to do at Richmond.
6. Be curious
I shouldn't need to explain this one, but if you want a reminder, Ted says it best himself....
7. Be yourself
It can feel sometimes like there are lots of instructions on how to live a better life (and there are 6 examples listed above) - be vulnerable, be authentic, manage your boundaries. Really, all they are saying is try and find space to be yourself. To be comfortable to be the person you are without worrying about what others might say or think or believe. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be kind or considerate, or professional or skilled. It's more that we don't necessarily to need to do things the way other people have done them to be good at what we're doing.
Ted is the ultimate demonstration of what this could look like. He does almost everything in a way that is uniquely Ted, and doesn't care if that means he is laughed at or talked about. He knows what he is good at and what he is not, he cares about the people around him and what is right for them. And his role modelling allows people in his team to be themselves too. Ultimately, we could all be a little more Ted.
