I recently started to watch the series Ted Lasso on Apple TV. I was surprised to see so much Master Key Experience wisdom from Ted Lasso!
THE SHOW
I wasn’t sure that I would like the show, but when I saw him hanging the John Wooden pyramid in his new office during the first episode, I was hooked. I have only watched a few episodes, but I love the positive messages I have seen so far.
In case you haven’t discovered this show yet, it is about a football manager from the USA who is invited to the UK to become the manager of a football team there. If you don’t already know, football is a very different sport in those two countries. But Ted Lasso is not one to turn down an opportunity.
He could have been a Master Key Experience (MKE) member! He approaches life with joy and kindness, and he employs creative strategies to turn the football club into more than a group of athletes. He turns them into a team, maybe even a family.
LEADERSHIP LESSONS
My husband found a list of Ted Lasso Leadership Lessons:
Believe in yourself.
Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.
All people are different people.
See the good in others.
Courage is about being willing to try.
Vulnerability is a strength not a weakness.
Tell the truth.
Winning is an attitude.
Optimists do more.
Stay teachable.
Be a goldfish. If you do something wrong do not let it define you. Forget it, like a goldfish, within 10 seconds.
Happiness is a choice.
APPLYING MASTER KEY EXPERIENCE PRINCIPLES
When I look at the Master Key Experience formula, I can see how Ted Lasso applies it.
DMP + POA +PMA + MMA = Success
DMP (DEFINITE MAJOR PURPOSE)
Ted’s DMP (Definite Major Purpose) is clear to him. It is not to build a team that wins matches, it is to build a team that works together, and celebrates each individual as well as the team. This is backed by a burning desire. Again, not to win games, but to shape the lives of the young men on the team.
One way he does this is by giving each player a gift. The gift is a book, each one chosen specifically for that player. Some books are classic fiction books, like Ender’s Game and Wrinkle in Time. The angry team captain, Roy, asks Ted Lasso if he is trying to make him into a hero like the girl in Wrinkle in Time. Yep. These are all Hero’s Journey stories!
PMA (POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE)
Ted is a master of the PMA (Positive Mental Attitude). He would be an expert at the Mental Diet. When we do the Mental Diet, we talk about changing our thoughts from negative to positive within 7 seconds, or we need to restart our mental diet. This fits in with point #11 above, being a goldfish.
As the show progresses, it is clear that Ted Lasso is not so one-dimensional that he truly has no negative thoughts. But he is pretty good at shifting his thoughts to positive most of the time, using the Law of Substitution perhaps.
WPOA (WRITTEN PLAN OF ACTION)
We see Written Plans of Action for moves on the football field, and though I am not sure Ted has his plans for teambuilding written, he does seem to have them firmly fixed in his mind. Especially when it comes to dealing with angry team captain Roy, and flaky star player Jamie.
MMA (MASTER MIND ALLIANCE)
Most obvious in Ted’s Master Mind Alliance was Coach Beard, who accompanied him from the USA to the new position at Richmond AFC. Coach Beard is a quirky intelligent man. He also is a guide for Ted, as he studies the UK football rules and strategies. Nathan, the team ‘kit boy’ also develops quickly into a more valuable team member.
As he meets people associated with the team and in the community, he gathers many supporters (along with a lot of people who called him a ‘wanker’). People don’t seem to trust his optimism at first, but his positive attitude does usually win them over. This includes Jamie’s girlfriend Keeley, journalist Trent Crimm, and even the lady who owns the local pub.
SUCCESS
Will Ted Lasso succeed? I’m pretty sure he will, though since this is a Hero’s Journey story, there are sure to be some challenges along the way. I have just started watching the program, though.
NEXT STEPS
I can’t get enough of Ted Lasso’s Master Key Experience Wisdom, so I plan to continue watching the show. You can too. But if you really want to learn how to apply all these principles, check out the Master Key Experience and get on the list for the upcoming class. (Don’t be a wanker:)
Arlene, I love all your spot-on insights and comparisons between the Master Key Experience and struggling-to-figure-it-all-out hero Ted Lasso. I hope that those of you who love Ted will give MKE a try in September. You’ll get a tried-and-true game plan, excellent Guides, and a supportive team to win your life.
I totally agree, Shirley! The Master Key Experience is a winning team!
These are wonderful insights! I’ve used Ted Lasso as so many examples of this first experience with MKE. Thank you…
Glad you enjoyed it Marie! Ted rocks:)