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Curiosity #16 - Leading from anywhere; with practical ideas from Mickey Baines

Jan 22, 2025
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đŸŽ€ Quotable quotes: "You're not sad and alone; you're just sad, and that's okay."


Ted reminds us that no matter the challenge, leadership starts with connection and empathy. This week on Leadership Rules, we had the pleasure of chatting with Mickey Baines, President and CRO at Kennedy and Company and big fan of Ted Lasso! Mickey brings decades of expertise in organizational transformation and leadership, sharing insights that mirror Ted’s belief in leading with heart and purpose.

So grab a biscuit, settle in, and let’s unpack what we learned from Mickey’s incredible journey.

Leadership Rules | Mickey Baines

 


This week’s musing:

Mickey's leadership style, rooted in his experience guiding institutions through transformational change, reflects many Lasso-worthy values. From balancing the art and science of leadership to leading yourself out of a job, Mickey’s philosophy is packed with actionable advice.

Let us give you a sneak peek:

Mickey tackled some of the toughest leadership questions, including:

  • How do leaders build a culture that thrives even after they’ve moved on?
  • What role does delegation play in scaling success without micromanagement?
  • How do you lead when you’re not in charge?
  • What’s the secret to influencing organizational change and avoiding pitfalls?

Mickey’s thoughtful answers, paired with his stories about rebuilding teams and fostering trust, make this episode a must-listen for leaders at every level.


More leadership musings


đŸȘ Biscuits with the Boss: "If you had to give a TED Talk, what would it be about?"

Mickey could easily give a TED talk on college searches. If this is something you are living through right now, forward this email to that human and tell them to follow Mickey Bains on LinkedIn. He brings a wealth of useful information to that task. We are excited to learn more on his upcoming podcast with his son.

And while you are at it, think about what you are passionate about that would make a good TED talk. What a great bonding conversation this would be for your family, team or organization.


🏅Whistle. Whistle.  "Start with who, not what."

Mickey echoed this sentiment, reminding us that transformational leadership starts with understanding the people on your team. Forget the quick fixes and focus on building trust and aligning strengths for long-term success. Roy would insist on it!


📚Beard’s collection: Recommended books and articles by Mickey himself! If you listened to the podcast, you know why some of these are repeats - they are well worth it!

📖 Jim Collins. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don’t. HarperBusiness, 2001.

This is the first business book Marnie ever read. It is a staple for understanding what separates good organizations from great ones. This book highlights the importance of the “who” before the “what”—a concept Mickey stressed in his advice on organizational transformation.

📖 Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard. Broadway Books, 2010.

Mickey mentioned Switch as a key resource for managing change effectively, emphasizing the value of finding bright spots and building momentum.

📖 BrenĂ© Brown. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House, 2018.

Did you know Brene Brown had the cast of Ted Lasso on her podcast? She's a big fan! As for her book, we are big fans. From “painting it done” to fostering trust, this book is a go-to guide for leading with vulnerability and courage—core elements of Mickey’s leadership philosophy.


🌎 This week in Here - There - Every F’ing where 

We are super excited to invite anyone in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area to join us next week for a presentation at the University of Arkansas - College of Education and Health Services on How to Lead it Like Lasso. If you are in the area and interested, just click here for details.

NEW EPISODE DROPPED: Our Lens of Leadership Rewatch Podcast Season 2 | Episode 7 Headspace is live. Join us as we chat with Dr. David Coffey and John Golden our friends from the Teaching Like Ted Lasso Podcast.

S2 | Ep7 Headspace David Coffey and John Golden

 


📩 Nate’s suggestion box: We love hearing your ideas! Let us know what we should share in next week's newsletter :)

 

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Forward this email to a friend who loves Ted Lasso, leadership, or both! (That would be a gift to us :) ) Let’s grow our Diamond Dogs community and keep spreading the Lasso Way.


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