When Work Feels Flat: Three Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso’s Return

Ted Lasso has returned!

After a three-year hiatus, Ted returned to Apple TV on August 5, and he has evolved since we last saw him.

At the end of Season 3, Ted left his job coaching AFC Richmond in England and returned home to Kansas City to be closer to his son. Three years later, he’s living a quiet life and working at a grocery store when an unexpected opportunity arises to return to England and coach Richmond’s new women’s soccer team.

What to Do When Work Feels Flat

As Season 4 debuts, we see that Ted has maintained his trademark “glass half-full” personality. He seems confident that his priorities are in order, but his professional life is bland and mundane.

If feeling weary and uninspired about work feels familiar, you’re not alone. Most of us have been there at one time or another.

But in true Ted Lasso fashion, the episode offers a few leadership lessons we can apply to our own situations. I noticed three encouraging strategies we can use when we’re not quite feeling the love at work. (No spoilers, promise!)

Strategy #1: Establish Work-Life Integration

In the previous seasons of the show, Ted’s work and personal life were anything but integrated. His move to England to coach soccer—even though he had zero experience or qualifications—was driven, at least in part, by a desire to escape some painful challenges in his personal life.

Three years later, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. He’s fully committed and present for his personal obligations, but his work life is left wanting.

The events of episode one begin to paint a picture that when it comes to work and life, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Ted begins to see that he might be able to honor his personal priorities while also pursuing work that gives him a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment.

The lesson isn’t that work and life should be perfectly balanced. They rarely are. It’s that one part of our life shouldn’t have to disappear for another part to flourish.

Perhaps you’re in a similar situation. Maybe the pendulum of work and life has swung too far in one direction, leaving you exhausted or unfulfilled. If so, look for ways to create a healthier integration among the priorities that matter most.

For example, have a career planning discussion with your leader to examine new growth areas. Also meet with your family members to discuss work-life boundaries and clarify expectations of what being present and engaged looks like.

Work-life integration doesn’t happen by accident. We design it.

Strategy #2: Consider “Yes”

When first presented with the offer to return to England to coach the Richmond women’s team, Ted’s immediate answer is “no.” He’s so locked into the idea that being present for his son requires staying exactly where he is that he doesn’t consider what other possibilities might exist. But as the episode goes on, Ted starts to consider “yes.”

I’ve noticed that it’s easier to default to “no” than it is to “yes.”

“No” protects us from fear and change, even when, deep down, we want something to change. “No” ensures the status quo and solidifies our sense of control. “No” is less friction. It’s less messy. It’s safe.

But what if we defaulted to “yes”? Not a blanket “yes” to any and all things, but a thoughtful “yes” that first considers how something might work, versus considering how it might not.

“Yes” may look like adopting a new creative marketing idea, allowing your team to adjust the weekly meeting agenda, or giving a team member the opportunity to modify their work schedule or pursue a nontraditional role.

When we consider “yes” as the first option, it opens the door to possibilities. It can lead to something new and energizing. “Yes” is often the path to learning, growth, and possibilities we didn’t see before.

Can it be scary? Yes! Can it be hard? Yes! But can it also be good? Yes!

Strategy #3: Find Your Team

Life can be hard and lonely, even when you’re surrounded by others.

Ted appears to be fully immersed in his community. He pretty much knows everyone, and everyone knows him. But something is missing.

Ted isn’t part of a team.

Yes, he has his son, ex-wife, mother, and friends in his community. But he’s missing the sense of camaraderie and purpose that comes from being part of a team.

When I ask people to describe their best work experience, one of the most common responses is about being part of a great team. They describe the immense satisfaction they received from collaborating with others, doing important work, and striving to accomplish something bigger than what can be attained by any one individual.

Do you have a team, group, or tribe you belong to? Even individual contributors who primarily work alone can find a group to join. Maybe it’s colleagues with similar roles, a professional association, or even a non-work group such as a church, community organization, or nonprofit.

The point is simple: when we’re part of a team, we experience a greater sense of belonging and purpose.

A New Reason to Believe

Feeling weary doesn’t mean you need to blow up your life and start over. Sometimes you just need to make a few adjustments.

Look for a healthier integration of the things that matter most. Be willing to consider “yes” when an unexpected opportunity comes your way. And find people who give you a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

Ted Lasso may be a little more subdued these days, but that’s part of his growth. Life has a way of sanding down some of our youthful exuberance. That doesn’t mean we can no longer take joy in our work. Maturity doesn’t require us to leave hope behind.

Sometimes we just need to find a new reason to believe.