Lasso Lessons: Ted on Life, Leadership & Learning

S2E3: ”Do the Rightest Thing”

Rebecca’s young protege maybe teaches her a thing or two.  How will Sam deal with Dubai Air?  And can Jamie find a way back?  Cathy and Mike break down S2E2 of Ted Lasso, “Do the Rightest Thing,” with an eye towards lessons in leadership.  

John Wooden warrants yet another cameo.  Is Rebecca a reverse anger translator?  Gen X vs Gen Y on bringing your values to work.  And what to make of “Led Tasso”.

S2E2: ”Lavender”

Join Cathy and Mike as they look at Season 2, Episode 2: “Lavender”.  Even by “Ted Lasso” standards, this episode is jam-packed with storytelling.  Jamie wants to return to the team, Roy considers career alternatives, Nate grows into his role, and Dr. Sharon rebuffs Ted’s attempts to get to know her better.  Fathers and sons abound: Hamlet, Prince Hal, & The Prince of Tides.  And is Ted evolving his decision-making process?

 

Referenced in the pod:

Anarchy in the UK

Tear it Up

Bad to the Bone

S2E1: ”Goodbye Earl”

And we are back!  With Season 3 scheduled for later this summer, we thought we should catch up on Season 2.  So here’s our take on S2E1:  “Goodbye Earl”.  After the death of a beloved mascot, Danny now believes that “Football is Death”.   Nate isn’t the best new manager, Roy struggles with life off the pitch, Rebecca wonders about her new boyfriend, and Ted can’t quite handle the sports psychologist that they have brought in to help Danny.  Cathy and Mike discuss the challenges of cross-cultural communication; starting out as a new manager; coaching vs. therapy; and the importance of vulnerability in your personal life–and even at work.

 

Discussed in this pod:

Brene Brown’s Ted talks and her book Dare to Lead

Radiohead’s Karma Police

Aime Mann’s Wise Up

Squeeze’s  Goodbye Girl

Extra: Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, Tier 2

In this special edition of Lasso Lessons, join Mike as he explores the traits on the second tier of John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success in light of Nate’s rant: Self-control, Alertness, Initiative, Intentness.  Just in time for the NBA playoffs!

 

Mentioned in the Pod:

S1E3: “Trent Crimm, The Independent”

S1E7:  “Make Rebecca Great Again”

S1E10: ”The Hope that Kills You”

We’ve come to the end of the first season, and so much has changed.  Join Cathy and Mike for their breakdown of S1E10 of "Ted Lasso:  The Hope that Kills You." British pessimism, and Ted’s optimism.  Trick plays or elaborate set pieces?  A brief history of white boards.  Richmond, London & Lake Placid, New York.  A spit take too far?  Freud finally makes the pod, and Cathy finally gets a chance to discuss polarity theory.  The poetry of Donald Rumsfeld, and why 4-square matrices belong on PowerPoint slides.  The dangers of the extremes.  Cognitive reframing returns, and Blue Ocean Strategy emerges.  Join us in the new year for season two of Lasso Lessons, and you’ll never walk alone.

Books mentioned on the pod:

Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant

S1E9: ”All Apologies”

Join Cathy and Mike as they break down Ted Lasso S1E9, “All Apologies.”  On first hearing Smells Like Teen Spirit.  Fenway Park (Boston) vs. Camp Nou (Barcelona).  The later career of Thierry Henry. Is Keely telepathic? Boom Chicago and the origins of Ted Lasso.  More Rupert vs. Ted.  Turns out Rebecca is actually good at apologies!  Difficult conversations.  And Cognitive Reframing returns.

 

Books Mentioned:

Why Won’t You Apologize:  Healing, Big Betrayals, and Everyday Hurts

Difficult Conversations:  How to Discuss What Matters Most

 

Bonus:  Weird Al’s Smells Like Nirvana

S1E8: ”The Diamond Dogs”

It’s the day after, everyone must deal with the consequences, and Ted and Rupert engage in a pointed contest. Join Cathy and Mike as they discuss S1E8 of Ted Lasso. Birth of The Diamond Dogs.  Shakespeare vs Walt Whitman.  Emotional Intelligence spawns EQ.  How cognitive reframing can help with emotional hijacking. Does lack of curiosity kill the cad?  And Ted’s origin story.

 

In Memoriam:  Aaron Beck on Cognitive Restructuring.

Bonus:  

47 Milk Puns

Snopes on “Be curious, not judgemental”

S1E7: ”Make Rebecca Great Again”

The team heads to Liverpool, an impossible match is won, and strangers collide.  Join Cathy and Mike as they discuss S1E7 of “Ted Lasso: Make Rebecca Great Again”. “Hotel California”, Glasgow, Scotland. The leisurely pace of  “The Rockford Files”.  Brett’s sports jacket.   Ted’s hair as emotional barometer.  Transformational storytelling.  The dangers of catastrophizing and Nate’s turn as insult comic.  Finally, towards a new “old” Rebecca?

In memoriam:  Neil Stroul.

 

Also in the pod:

Celeste’s “Strange”.

S1E6: ”Two Aces”

Danny Rojas shows up, words lose their meaning, and a curse befalls the team.  Join Cathy and Mike as they break down S1E6 of “Ted Lasso: Two Aces”.  Semantic satiation.  Ted’s anger as motivation.  The “No Schadenfreude Zone”.   Negative reinforcement and Pavlov’s Tartt.  And healthy competition meets David Mamet.  

 

Also in the Episode:

Ted’s “Practice” speech and Allen Iverson

The “Dutch angle”

Evil Spock and Bizarro Superman

Peaky Blinders

Seinfeld lingo

S1E5: ”Tan Lines”

Join Cathy and Mike as they break down S1E5 of Ted Lasso, “Tan Lines”.  Ted’s work/life balance.  Transparency and curiosity in communications.  Immunity to change.  And the no “jerks” rule.

 

Also in the pod:

Robert Keegan’s Immunity to Change

Robert Sutton’s The No [Jerk] Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One that Isn’t

Bonus:  What the British Say and What They Really Mean