Leadership lessons from pop culture The BIG Takeaway™ newsletter Nov. 14, 2022
The FIFA World Cup begins later this week which begs the question, when is "Ted Lasso" returning for its third season? There is so much to learn from that show and in this edition we will focus on one very important lesson.
We also begin our monthly feature section and wonder, "How did a guy who smashes watermelons become so popular?"
Section No. 1: This week's BIG Takeaway Be curious, not judgmental
Image: Apple
Lasso hits the bulls eye on curiosity Ask. Listen. Repeat. The context: In this clip from Apple TV's hit show "Ted Lasso," coach Lasso, played by SNL alum Jason Sudeikis, is in a darts competition.
His opponent is judgmental and assumes that Lasso is not good at darts; it turns out Lasso is a darts phenom.
As the match goes on it is clear that Lasso has hustled his opponent.
Lasso wins and shares a lesson thatwe all need to take to heart.
Side note: Treat yourself and take two minutes to watch the clip. You deserve it.
What we can learn: “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Albert Einstein
Shifting from judgment to sincere curiosity is possibly one of the most powerful actions a person can take, especially when focusing on psychological safety.
Sincere curiosity is about being open to new perspectives, asking good questions and truly wanting to learn. It is not about placating someone by letting them speak or share their thoughts - that is condescending.
Simple phrases like "tell me more," "that's interesting" or "why do you say that" can turn a judgmental situation into a learning opportunity.
My take: Judgment is about you, curiosity is about the other person.
When we judge others we are putting ourselves first, imposing our views and sending a message we know best and that we are "right."
Judgment is the Achilles heel of a psychologically safe culture. It can lead to assumptions, exclusion and bias.
This pony clip from "Seinfeld" is a fantastic illustration of what judgment can lead to.
Today find a situation you disagree with or believe is wrong and go on an exploration. Challenge yourself to suspend judgment and question your own beliefs and views - you might be surprised by what you learn.
To recap: Be curious, not judgmental
Section No. 2: Our monthly deep dive
Image: Columbia Pictures
This month: Setting the stage for a great interview Moving from judgment to noticing
Building a psychologically safe workplace starts with the interview process.
I spoke with veteran improv performer and current organizational development expert Deana Criess about how she has implemented a unique philosophy from improvisational comedy auditions into the workplace.
The Astros and General Manager James Click parted ways.
This is a strange way to celebrate winning he World Series. Astros owner Jim Crane offered Click a one-year deal, something that Click took as a message he wasn't wanted.
"[Click] becomes the first head of baseball operations to not return in the wake of a title since Larry MacPhail resigned as the New York Yankees' general manager 75 years ago." (source: ESPN.com)
As Torrey Hart and Mark Puleo from The Athletic asked, "You have to wonder: Could Click’s treatment be a red flag for candidates interested in replacing him?"
It always seems to come back to culture.
Comedian Gallagher died last week.
Amazing how smashing watermelons became a signature routine for this dude. Curious to see how Zuckerberg makes this all happen in the Metaverse. A virtual poncho for virtual smashed fruit? These are the questions Americans want answers to!
Somewhere along the way Gallagher said, "What if I smashed watermelons with a big sledge hammer?" Say what you want but that is quite a risk; the rest is citrullus lanatus history.
That sounds a bit NSFW.
The NFL's Colts hired a new coach whose only coaching experience is at the high school level.
Any news story that begins with "The Colts are blowing a hole in their plans and carving out a new direction" can't be good.
Current ESPN analyst (yes, current ESPN analyst) and team consultant Jeff Saturday was named the new head coach by Colts owner Jim Irsay. “We were fortunate he was available," Irsay said at a press conference.
Sort of like being surprised that front-row tickets at a Gallagher show were available. Boom! I bet you didn’t see that coming! My gut tells me that Irsay is about to do to the Colts what Gallagher did to watermelons.
But hey, if Irsay is willing to take a big risk then maybe it will inspire others in the organization to feel safe to do so.
That's all for now Thanks for reading and please remember:
We archive our stories and put them here for the world to read so feel free to have a look.
If you have any ideas or feedbackContact me with your thoughts.
Rich Trombetta @trombettarich
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Our why: We believe EVERYONE has something to offer. It's is just a matter of making it EASY for leaders to create the environment for everyone to feel SAFE to do so.
Our vision: Companies will make the same effort to keep people psychologically safe at work as they do to keep them physically safe on the job.
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