It’s no secret that the majority of sports coaches are much older than their players which means they’re often more knowledgeable about the game. This wasn’t true of Ted as he wasn’t more knowledgeable about football (soccer) than his players, but he did display a curiosity and wisdom (the two primary traits of a “modern elder”) that was extremely valuable to his team, both personally and professionally. It made me nostalgic for my time as the “mentern” (mentor and intern) at Airbnb and begs the question, “How might we create more “menternships” in the business world?”
Which got me wondering why do we love Ted Lasso so much?
1. It’s a classic “fish out of water” tale, but this fish is delightfully determined to improve the lives of everyone around him.
2. The series consistently showed how important friendships are (most of the deepest connections amongst characters were with people who weren’t sleeping together) and it showed the value of community with all of Richmond’s quirky characters.
3. People love resilient underdogs who prove their worth against all odds and, to do so with admirable character qualities, makes Ted Lasso even more inspiring. It’s not just a “feel good” show, these characters encourage us to “be good.”
4. Ted seems like an average, middle-class bloke who’s dealing with his share of “life-quakes.” He’s relatable and he’s the opposite of “toxic masculinity,” not because he wants to be politically correct, but because it’s the right thing to do.
Okay, any suggestions of what should be next in my TV series queue?