How Different People Lead: Leadership Styles in Ted Lasso

In “Ted Lasso,” the football club AFC Richmond has many leaders with unique approaches to guiding and inspiring others. There is no one-size-fits-all way to lead, so it is important to understand that multiple ways may encourage positive results depending on the individual and team. At Dialectic, we encourage creativity, innovation, and open-mindedness. We understand that our team members are all motivated differently; therefore, our leaders strive to focus on our people as much as possible.

Learn more about the leadership styles Dialectic values from Ted Lasso below:

The Owner

Rebecca Welton [Shown most in S1 Ep.4, 10, S2 Ep. 3, 4]

Rebecca Welton is a strong and invested leader. She is supportive, community-driven,    never misses a match, knows when she’s needed, and stands up for her beliefs.

A good leader understands the importance of their role within the team and provides a firm guiding hand to create the business they know will help all thrive.

The Players

The Captain, Isaac McAdoo [Shown most in S1. Ep. 9,10, S2 Ep. 5, 6, 10]

Isaac is named captain at the end of Coach Lasso’s first season at AFC Richmond, and he is a passionate leader who cares about the team’s success more than his own.

Employees are often inspired if they see their boss working as hard as anyone else on the team. Leaders should set an example and never ask their employees for more than they give themselves. This is better known as “leading by example.”

The Young Star, Sam Obisanya [Shown most in S2. Ep. 3, 7, 11, 12]

Sam is a young Nigerian footballer who finds his first home in the premiership at AFC Richmond. He follows his morals and always does what he believes is right. He listens to his superiors and contemporaries and never acts without first being very thoughtful.

You can be a leader even if you aren’t the head of a company or even the head of a department. This is the difference between management and leadership. Those that commit themselves to providing excellent work to help the team, or business, can help everyone progress.

Ethics are also an important aspect of being a leader, especially here at Dialectic. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but we know it leads to more trust and teamwork in the end.

The Coaches

The Ex-Superstar, Roy Kent [Shown most in S2 Ep. 6]

Roy is a fiery competitor. He plays and coaches with pure love for the game. He understands his shortcomings and empowers his players. Roy doesn’t waste his time worrying about what his players can’t do well. Instead, he thinks about what they can do exceptionally.

Knowing the skills of your team members is crucial. By developing your strategy around everyone’s abilities, your company is bound to work more efficiently.

The Quiet Right Hand Man, Coach Beard [Shown most in S1. Ep. 1, 6, 8, 10, S2. Ep. 8, 9, 11, 12]

Beard may be his first name, last name, or just a nickname (the show hasn’t revealed it yet), but regardless, he is a quiet copilot. He rarely lets his emotions rule him, and he makes the team better by never overcomplicating concepts. He is a grounding force for Coach Lasso, who sometimes needs to be reminded that the professional success of the team is just as important as the personal success of each individual player.

As a leader, it’s necessary to be able to overlook your emotions when making big decisions. Sometimes the right decision may not be a personal preference, so having the ability to give yourself a 30,000-foot view and make the right call will make you a better leader.

Coach Ted Lasso [Shown most in S1 Ep. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 S2: Ep. 1, 4, 5, 6, 12]

Ted Lasso is an infinitely optimistic and creative American football coach, who moves to the United Kingdom to coach British football. He often exemplifies his lack of technical knowledge but is never too proud to ask for help. He is a relationship-focused leader, and trusts the athletes and his coaching staff when he needs them. He is an expert motivator and understands that he coaches men, not just footballers. He refuses to give up or quit and treats everyone from the groundskeeper to the owner with kindness and respect. He believes in creating a culture for long-term success and centers his coaching ideology around one word: “BELIEVE.”

If you are a leader, it is because you can do great work. However, part of that work is trusting that the people you put in place will follow your example even when you can’t oversee everything they do. Trusting your team may be the most important — and most difficult — thing a leader learns to do.

What type of leader are you? Whether you are relaxed like Sam, fiery like Roy, firm like Rebecca, quietlike Beard, self-driven like Isaac, or full of belief like Ted, Dialectic welcomes leaders of all kinds. Stay tuned to our social platforms to learn more about our internship program and see why Dialectic is the place to start your engineering career.