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Workplace words of wisdom from Ted Lasso

November 2021 employment law letter
Authors: 
David Kim, FordHarrison LLP

They got me. I resisted as long as I could. Numerous friends had urged me to watch Ted Lasso on Apple® TV+. I wasn’t interested. Frankly, I’m not that big into soccer. On a quiet night during summer vacation, however, my wife suggested we give it a shot. Now I’m on the bandwagon. To learn more about how to improve your workplace culture, you may want to start watching, too.

Killing them with kindness

Ted Lasso revolves around an American college football coach, played by Jason Sudeikis, who accepts an offer “across the pond” to coach a professional soccer team called AFC Richmond. Who in their right mind would hire him to lead a pro soccer team with his lack of credentials, and why would he accept? Without revealing any spoilers, I can tell you the show addresses these unique circumstances. It also sports a variety of other plotlines involving superbly crafted characters, e.g., the team’s owner, Rebecca Welton; my man with the NSFW (not-safe-for-work) language, Roy Kent; and the effervescent Dani Rojas (“Football is Life!”).

Certainly, the American “out of his element” in England is rife with comedic possibilities, but the real reason Ted Lasso has caught on with audiences is its heart. In fact, some have complained season two (currently airing) is a bit too saccharine, causing the show to become annoyingly positive and cheesy. While I can understand the sentiment, I also think the complaints are a byproduct of the weekly-airing format, which allows viewers to vent in real time rather than bingeing the season as a whole.

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