What Do Ted Lasso, Nick Saban, and 2026 Jordan O Have in Common?
They all win with culture.
Ted Lasso was handed a Premier League team in a sport he knew nothing about. He didn’t out strategize anyone. He couldn’t. He built belief. He believed in believe. He invested in people. He created a locker room of trust and accountability. And somehow, it worked.
Nick Saban, the GOAT of college football, didn’t just recruit athletes. He created a process. Every player knew what excellence looked like and how to chase it daily. Not for the scoreboard, but for only the next play, because that’s what they committed to do.
And then there’s me. While old 70 hour work week micromanager Jordan loved to be the hero and stick his fingers into everything, new 25 hour work week boss Jordan leads with culture and vision and then gets out of the way.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t go to law school to be a boss. I didn’t take business classes on firm operations. But here we all are. Running a firm. Leading a team. Navigating court deadlines, client meltdowns, and employee PTO requests. And a million other things all at the same time.
Most lawyers try to survive by being the best lawyer in the building. But what if you tried being the best coach? Like Ted Lasso, and not like Led Tasso. That guy is the worst.
Here’s How to Channel Your Inner Lasso
1. Believe and Make It Visible
Put the sign on the wall. Maybe literally, or maybe just a Zoom background, but you need a rallying cry. Something your team can point to and say, “That’s what we’re about.” It could be your mission, your core values, or even your vibe. Make it loud. Make it clear.
For my firm, our core values are as follows:
We are driven by our clients’ needs.
We are driven to provide the best client experience possible.
We are driven by a desire to be better every day.
We are driven to succeed as a team.
We are driven to connect with those who share our values.
Less is more. But truly live the core values.
2. Play the Long Game
Ted didn’t scream when the team lost. He told them to forget things and be the goldfish. But then he taught. He encouraged. He re centered the mission. Not about soccer tactics, because he doesn’t know them, but about each other and being a team that is better than the sum of its parts.
If you’re judging your employees by one bad call or one off week, you’re coaching scared. Build for the season, not the snap.
3. Get Curious, Not Judgmental
Yes, Walt Whitman. Yes, darts. Yes, that scene still hits. But for real, ask questions. Understand what motivates your team. Learn why someone dropped the ball.
You don’t have to be soft. You just have to be human. Lead with the curiosity, not the criticism.
This is what I tell my coaching clients the most, although I say be curious, not critical, because alliteration is amazing.
4. Celebrate Weirdness
Ted Lasso had Nate, Beard, Roy, and Keeley all in the same office. Somehow it worked. Your team will have different strengths, quirks, and flaws. That’s the point. Find your people, give them a role, and let them own it.
I love the study that found that police forces with more women did better than ones with only men. And to be clear, groups with no men do worse than those with some men. The closer a team gets to an even split, the better it tends to perform, at least as long as everyone can be heard.
It’s the same for age, background, nationality, and more. The more varied a group we can bring together and work together, the better.
5. Know When to Bench Yourself
Ted stepped away when he knew the team needed a different voice. Too many lawyers refuse to hand off anything until they burn out. If you’re the bottleneck, it’s time to coach from the sidelines. That’s what a real leader does.
When I first started my firm, I wished I could clone myself. One day I realized that would be a nightmare.
Seriously, the less I do directly, the better the firm is. We would never have been able to drive cross country for 13 months while the firm made great profits if I was doing everything.
And by the same token, my staff would never be able to take actual vacations if they did everything. It’s about having great people who operate great systems so that we have real businesses and are able to actually have lives too.
Real Talk from Jordan
I didn’t grow my law firm by being the best lawyer in the building. I grew it when I started being the best boss, leader, and eventually coach. I let go of control. I gave people permission to be great. And I stopped judging myself for not doing everything.
Your firm doesn’t need a better technician. It needs a Ted, even if your personality is nothing like his.
Until then, either pick that rallying cry or go watch your favorite episode of Ted Lasso again. Your call.
Keep Reading
For more on the leadership work that keeps a healthy firm running, read The Invisible Work Running Your Firm, or browse the Law Firm Operations newsletter archive.