Is Ted Lasso a Player-Coach

Happy Friday,

There are interesting shifts in the industry in terms of the roles companies are looking for and how they're described. Folks are hiring GTM folks and FDEs as though the industry only half-paid attention to concepts over 20 years ago about cross-functional teams and working with customers.

Another trend is in leadership roles. The language of "Player-coach."

A few years ago, engineering leadership roles were very tactical. They wanted leaders with a deep technical background and a focus on driving delivery. This meant managers and leaders had to interview on specific technologies. This was always crazy to me, but I think it speaks more to what is easy to assess and less to if it was ever a good idea.

Now, roles are focusing on all those soft skills and asking for player-coaches. This may be a step in the right direction, but do I really think the industry has moved past its relentless desire to do more work faster and sooner? Nope.

Let's look at the opposite extreme with Ted Lasso. He's a coach coach. While fictional, he inspires everyone around him, and remarkable things happen. If his boss ever asked, "What do you do, exactly?" he'd respond, "I help these folks be the best version of themselves." When told to get more wins, he'd say something like, "Winning's nice, but you know, there is always one more game."

He plays a very different game where people come first, and results follow. This is almost the exact opposite of traditional management, where you drive results and expect people to "be professionals."

Does it work, or is it fiction?

It does.

Ted Lasso, while kind to a fault, builds people up. He creates an environment where individuals and teams can grow and grow and grow. One thing to consider is that the show's popularity exists, in part, because it feels foreign to watch. If that style of leadership were the norm, the show would offer nothing new.

While Ted Lasso is just a show, I want to share a few things I've personally seen play out across the teams I've coached. 

• Teams are much more than the sum of their parts. 

• The potential of individuals and teams is much higher than anyone realizes. 

• Teams are more resilient than any one person. 

• Teams can capitalize on strengths and mitigate weaknesses.

• Teams can handle challenges that would break most

Creating teams like that has very little to do with "driving results" or managing roadmaps. Teams that can keep improving, handle any challenge, and overcome obstacles are what most never see. Most leaders are stuck trying to get the most out of each individual and hope it rolls up to the team.

Now, there are a few subtle things I also want to point out about Ted Lasso that are useful, because some leaders fall into the "trust the team" trap and don't lead at all.

• Lasso is present and not passively waiting for someone to bring something up

• Lasso knows the details of what is going on with everyone and everything

• Lasso gives folks room to try and fail

• Lasso is kind but candid

• Lasso doesn't work alone and trusts others with deeper tactical knowledge

Look, Ted Lasso is an inspiring but fictional show. The shift to player-coach is a step in the direction our industry needs, but Lasso is just a coach, and it's enough.

If this is stirring up something for you or you want to ask, "What about…" I'd love to do that with you. Reply back or schedule a time to chat.

Sincerely,

Ryan

PS: I was featured in a Dev Interrupted newsletter about the shifts in engineering and code reviews.