4 valuable lessons every leader can learn from Ted Laso

Leadership today feels more difficult than before. In DDI’s latest global leadership survey, more than half of leaders worldwide say they feel exhausted at the end of the workday—and among those experiencing increased stress, 40% are considering leaving a leadership role to protect their well-being. For founders and leaders of growing teams, this pressure is amplified: Every decision carries weight and every misstep is visible.

In such an environment, we’re often told that softness won’t last, forcing many leaders to adopt a rigid, know-it-all persona just to keep up. Against this background, a hand-made yellow sign with the words “BELIEVE” may look naive.

Still, we’re expecting the return of everyone’s favorite mustachioed trainer Ted Lasso season 4 this summer, it’s worth revisiting why his stubborn optimism is less sentiment than strategy. Beneath the cookies and folksy charm lies a disciplined approach rooted in curiosity and consistency. These traits hold up in complex, high-stakes organizations because they prioritize human connection over corporate posturing.

Early on in my own leadership journey, I struggled to exercise authority. I assumed that my title always required certainty and composition. Instead, it encouraged impostor syndrome and made me less effective. As I shifted to a more lasso-like approach and prioritized understanding over being right, the energy of my team changed. Work felt less like something I had to carry alone and more like a shared mission.

Here’s how these fictional lessons translate into very real leadership moves for founders and scaling teams:

1. Lead with curiosity instead of defense

When faced with skepticism, Ted does not advance his position or defend his summary. Instead, he asks questions. In one instance, when a cynical reporter questions his qualifications, Ted doesn’t argue. Instead, he simply asks why the reporter feels the way he does. This immediately shifts the dynamic from confrontation to conversation.

Whether you’re a seasoned startup founder or a new CEO, you may feel the urge to “prove” yourself by having the fastest answer, but that often silences the very insights you need to succeed.

In my experience, going from “I need to be right” to “I want to understand” changes the tone of the entire room. Research from Harvard Business School shows that teams perform better when they feel safe to ask questions, admit uncertainty and speak without fear.

In your next challenge or disagreement, replace the explanation with a question. Ask, “What risk am I not seeing?” or “What would reinforce this idea?” By slowing down judgment, you create psychological safety that enables better decision-making and faster problem-solving, especially in high-stakes or fast-moving environments.

2. Prioritize authenticity over performance

Many leaders believe that in order to be taken seriously, we must adopt a “tougher” persona. Ted refuses and remains kind and down to earth even when the situation is dire.

For years I struggled to get comfortable being myself in bigger roles because I thought I had to “act” like a leader. When I finally let go of that performance and leaned into my true strengths and limitations, people felt safer contributing without fear of judgment.

People need leaders who are trustworthy and real. If you’re entering a new area of ​​responsibility, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t have an answer to that yet, but I’ll find out.” This is one of the clearest signs of competence.

Research on vulnerability in the workplace from Psychology Today backs this up: When leaders are open about uncertainty or mistakes, it builds trust and encourages greater sharing of ideas across teams.

This openness does not undermine authority – it creates the conditions for better thinking and faster innovation. For founders, this translates directly into stronger ideas and fewer blind spots as your company grows.

3. Maintain consistency as the pressure rises

Leadership is built in the small, predictable ways you respond to stress. Ted is the same person whether his team wins or loses, and that stability eventually becomes the team’s culture.

This consistency is not just a management preference; it’s a basic expectation. Gallup’s 2025 research shows that stability is one of the four basic needs of people leaders, but what’s remarkable is how much more they value something else: hope. In fact, 56% of required leadership attributes center around hope, making it the most important signal leaders can send to their teams.

Think about the “mood” you project at work. Do you become unpredictable when things go wrong? If so, your team will stop focusing on performance and start focusing on self-defense. To build a lasso-like culture of trust and hope, make sure your core values, such as quality or people development, are demonstrated every day, not just when things are going well. Consistency at the top allows teams to focus on execution instead of reacting to changing signals.

4. Develop capacity rather than dependency

It’s tempting to step in and “save the day” when a project becomes uncomfortable, but this inadvertently creates a team that waits for instructions instead of taking initiative. Ted avoids being a hero. Rather, it invites participation and gives others real responsibility. That’s the essence of true empowerment: giving people the clarity and authority to make decisions, and then resisting the urge to take that control back.

Companies like PepsiCo have made it work in a big way. Through the “Next Big Idea” platform, employees are encouraged to develop and present new ideas directly to senior management. Instead of centralizing decisions at the top, the company distributes ownership across the organization, expanding both engagement and the volume of ideas leaders can act on—without becoming a bottleneck.

If you want to grow as a leader, your goal should be building the capacity of those around you rather than centralizing power within yourself. This week, try to give a team member a decision you would normally keep to yourself. It may seem risky, but these small moves add up to big cultural shifts.

Why “BELIEVE” is not naive

Ted’s famous yellow “BELIEVE” sign is a powerful leadership stance. Faith, as modeled by Ted, is the decision to anchor a team in a shared purpose, even when outcomes are uncertain.

Leaders who practice a firm belief in people, processes and long-term growth create cohesion. They allow teams to take risks without breaking when failure occurs.

That’s not naivety. It is disciplined leadership. In environments where the pressure is real and there is little room for error, this may be the most necessary discipline of all.

Leadership today feels more difficult than before. In DDI’s latest global leadership survey, more than half of leaders worldwide say they feel exhausted at the end of the workday—and among those experiencing increased stress, 40% are considering leaving a leadership role to protect their well-being. For founders and leaders of growing teams, this pressure is amplified: Every decision carries weight and every misstep is visible.

In such an environment, we’re often told that softness won’t last, forcing many leaders to adopt a rigid, know-it-all persona just to keep up. Against this background, a hand-made yellow sign with the words “BELIEVE” may look naive.

Still, we’re expecting the return of everyone’s favorite mustachioed trainer Ted Lasso season 4 this summer, it’s worth revisiting why his stubborn optimism is less sentiment than strategy. Beneath the cookies and folksy charm lies a disciplined approach rooted in curiosity and consistency. These traits hold up in complex, high-stakes organizations because they prioritize human connection over corporate posturing.