I’ll say it: the world needs more Ted Lasso.
Ted is a fictional soccer coach from the Ted Lasso TV show, but despite his fictional status, he offers some valuable lessons for product managers. From his positive attitude to his high emotional intelligence, if you’re a PM looking to improve your skills and make a bigger impact here are a few things you can learn from Ted:
- Empathy – Ted has an incredible ability to connect with people and understand their needs and motivations. He understands that each of his soccer players is unique and needs different solutions from the coaching staff to truly flourish. As a product manager, you need to have a deep understanding of your target audience and their pain points. By putting yourself in their shoes, you can create products that truly meet their needs and wants.
- Positive Attitude – Ted never lets setbacks get him down, and always looks on the bright side of things. This type of positive attitude can be contagious and help to keep your team motivated. When things get tough, remember to stay positive and look for the opportunities that challenges can bring. As Product Managers, we work across such a wide range of teams that this positivity can truly spread across the entire org.
- Teamwork – Ted recognizes that success is a team effort, and that everyone has something valuable to bring to the table. As a product manager, you need to be able to bring your team together and create a collaborative environment. You can lead the direction, but you cannot get there alone. Encourage your team to share their ideas, and make sure everyone feels valued and heard.
- Humility – Ted never takes credit for someone else’s achievements, and always recognizes the contributions of his team. This type of humility is essential for a product manager, as you need to be able to admit when you’re wrong and give credit where it’s due. From my experience, owning up to mistakes actually strengthens your credibility. It shows the entire team that you’re putting the product first and are open to changing views based on new inputs and ideas.
- Good Humour – Ted has a great sense of humour and knows how to diffuse tense situations with a joke or a lighthearted comment. A good sense of humour can help to lighten the mood and make your team feel more relaxed and comfortable.
- Communication Skills – Ted is a great communicator and knows how to get his message across in a clear and concise way. As a product manager, you need to be able to communicate effectively with your team, stakeholders, and customers. Make sure you understand your audience, and tailor your message accordingly.
Ted offers a number of valuable lessons for product managers. By being empathetic, having a positive attitude, working well with others, being humble, having a good sense of humour, and having strong communication skills, you can become a more effective product manager and have a bigger impact on your team and your customers. His is a true underdog story and it worked for AFC Richmond, so why not give it a try?