Leadership lessons from Ted Lasso

Over the last 15 years I’ve worked on projects and touched “leadership” from a few different perspectives, as a student, then professor, as a mayor, then as a mentor helping others run for office, as a town manager, and just generally a person in the world wondering what’s happening in our politics and our communities that so often leads to spoiled trust and poor outcomes and how we can do better.

I published a podcast episode about some lessons we can take from TV’s Ted Lasso that people loved (because Ted Lasso is great, not because of anything I did necessarily). I reflected on a few lessons, and then dove deep towards the end into a rabbit about about “intentions” that I think is one of the primary things we are getting wrong in our society at-large these days.

But based on the popularity of the episode, I also wrote up an article that the International City/County Management Association published as a feature in their January 2025 issue of Public Management magazine. Youc an find the pdf of that below and I hope folks enjoy the podcast and the article, which is a bit more geared for those in leadership positions in organizations or especially local governments.

What were some of your most memorable leadership lessons through your life? Feel free to reach out and share what inspires you!