Lasso Lessons · The Playbook
The Play: Becoming a Ted Lasso Leader
Read this if
Your team is quiet in meetings, problems show up late, and you feel like you're chasing instead of coaching.
The goal: Build people. The team is the byproduct.
Personnel: Any manager
Game plan: 30 days
The Foundation
Ted believes people can grow.
The BELIEVE sign isn't really for the team. It's for the coach.
Your job isn't to win every day. Your job is to make your people better. Winning usually follows.
If you don't actually believe in your people, they'll know.
So don't act like Ted. Coach like Ted.
The Playbook in 20 Seconds
Six plays. If you only remember one line each, remember these.
Believe
Tell people what you believe about them. Out loud.
Curiosity
Ask before you judge.
Goldfish
Learn it. Fix it. Move on.
Roy Kent
Care enough to tell the truth.
Hero
Give the credit away.
Diamond Dogs
Make the truth safe.
That's the job. Build people. The team is the byproduct.
The Full Plays
01
Believe Out Loud
Call it: new assignment, big project, bad week, someone losing confidence
Don't just think it. Say it.
"You get this because you're great at [STRENGTH]. It'll be messy. I trust you."
"Tough week. My view hasn't changed. You're here because you're great at [SKILL]."
Rule: one person a day. Out loud. Text counts.
Quick takeaway
Don't make people guess what you believe about them.
02
Curiosity Over Judgment
Your first question determines whether you get the truth or a cover story
Swap this:
"Why did you do that?"
→ "Help me understand what you were seeing."
"Why is this late?"
→ "What got in the way?"
"That won't work."
→ "What would have to be true for that to work?"
"Why didn't you ask for help?"
→ "What made it hard to ask?"
The call
"What are you seeing that I'm not?"
Quick takeaway
Ask before you judge. You'll get the truth sooner.
03
Goldfish + Roy Kent
Two plays for the moment right after something goes wrong
Goldfish
After the mistake is fixed:
Listen.
"Good. We're done. Goldfish."
Don't keep bringing up old mistakes.
Quick takeaway
Keep the lesson. Lose the baggage.
Roy Kent
When someone needs a hard conversation:
"Can I be direct? I want you to win."
"When you [BEHAVIOR], it [IMPACT]. Next time, [ALTERNATIVE]."
High care and high standards can exist at the same time.
Quick takeaway
Care enough to tell people the truth.
04
Make Them the Hero
Ted doesn't need to be the hero. Neither do you.
To your boss
Don't say: "I fixed Acme."
"Jamie fixed Acme. Three late nights. The customer specifically called her out."
Friday team shoutout
"[NAME] did [SPECIFIC THING]. That's what we want more of."
Skip "Great job, everyone." Be specific.
Quick takeaway
Give away the credit. Your team will make you look good.
05
Diamond Dogs
15 minutes. Once a month.
Ask:
"What aren't we talking about that we should be?"
Then listen. Don't defend. Don't immediately fix it. Don't punish honesty.
Quick takeaway
If you want the truth, make telling you the truth safe.
The 30-Day Challenge
Don't read this and move on. Run the plays.
Every day
Believe in someone out loud
Ask before judging
Give someone credit
When something goes wrong
Find the lesson
Have the hard conversation
Move on
Once a month
Ask: "What aren't we talking about?"
That's the job
Build people. The team is the byproduct.