What if CX leadership was more about heart than KPIs?
Five leadership lessons from Ted Lasso
Some evenings, when my brain is full of frameworks, KPIs and CX strategies, I love to switch off and watch a good TV show. Lately, I've been back to one of my all-time favorites: Ted Lasso.
If you haven't seen it yet, here's the short version. Ted is a cheerful American coach who suddenly finds himself leading an English football team. He knows nothing about soccer, not even the offside rule, but he knows everything about people. And that, my friends, is exactly where true leadership starts.
As I rewatched the series from my sunny spot in the south of France, I couldn't help but think how much we as CX leaders could learn from Ted. Because let's be honest, too often we hide behind dashboards, playbooks and metrics. They matter, of course, but CX leadership isn't just about managing systems. It's about leading people with heart.
Here are my five favorite leadership lessons from Ted Lasso that every CX leader can use to spice up their leadership.
- Be a goldfish
Ted tells one of his players, "You know what the happiest animal on earth is? A goldfish. You know why? It's got a ten second memory."
As CX leaders, we all make mistakes. A presentation that flops. A stakeholder who says CX is too fluffy. A budget request that gets rejected. The key is to learn fast, forgive fast and move on. Being a goldfish doesn't mean ignoring failure. It means releasing it quickly so you can keep leading forward.
- Believe in your team
Ted believes in his players even when they're losing. Belief is not blind optimism, it's seeing potential before it's proven. In CX, we need that same belief in our teams, in our colleagues and in the leaders who are still learning to care about customers. Belief builds courage. Evaluation builds fear. And customer centric cultures thrive on courage.
- Be curious, not judgmental
This is one of Ted's favorite quotes, and one of mine too.
As CX leaders, we often judge. We judge leaders who don't get it. We judge customers who complain. We judge colleagues who resist change. But judgment closes doors. Curiosity opens them. Next time you face resistance, pause and ask, "What's really going on here?" Curiosity shifts energy from defensiveness to discovery and that's where transformation begins.
- Find your cookies
Every morning, Ted brings his boss a pink box of cookies. Small, consistent gestures that show care and build trust.
In CX, our cookies are those thoughtful little rituals that build connection. Maybe it's how you start your team meetings with appreciation, how you celebrate progress or how you share a great customer story. Small gestures build big trust.
- Laugh at yourself
Ted never pretends to have it all figured out. He laughs at himself. He admits when he doesn't know something. And people love him for it.
As CX leaders, we often feel the pressure to know everything, the data, the strategy, the roadmap. But authenticity beats perfection every time. Laugh at yourself, share your lessons and others will follow your lead with more openness and joy.
So what if CX leadership really was more about heart than KPIs
Ted didn't win by knowing football. He won by knowing people. And that's what CX leadership is all about, creating an environment where people want to play the game of customer centricity.
Because the truth is simple. We can only win when everyone's in.
So here's my invitation to you. Bring a little Ted Lasso energy into your week. Believe more, judge less and keep leading with heart.
Want to dive deeper?
Listen to this episode of CX Leadership Talks: What if CX leadership was more about heart than KPIs? Five lessons from Ted Lasso on your favorite podcast platform.
Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.
Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.
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Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations.
With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. Subscribe to her weekly CX Greetz to stay tuned.
