🎤 Quotable quotes: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”
— George R.R. Martin
This Week’s Curiosity: Can Fiction Make You a Better Leader?
New research says yes. (And so does Ted Lasso.)
Turns out, curling up with a good novel might be one of the best leadership development moves you can make — right after "bring biscuits" and "believe in people more than they believe in themselves."
Why? Because reading fiction grows your empathy muscle.
When you dive into a story, your brain simulates social experience. You begin to feel what characters feel. You practice seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.
And that’s basically Leadership 101.
Ted’s Book Club (Unofficial, but Highly Effective):
Let’s rewind to Season 1.
Roy Kent — grumbly, growly, emotionally constipated — is still on the pitch, but Ted sees something brewing: Roy’s teammates look up to him. The team needs a leader. Roy just needs a nudge.
So what does Ted do?
He starts handing out books — and Roy gets A Wrinkle in Time.
Not as homework. As a mirror.
The story’s about Meg Murry, a reluctant hero who discovers her greatest strength isn’t force — it’s love, loyalty, and courage in the face of fear.
Sound familiar?
Ted was saying, “Hey Roy, maybe being a leader means showing up with your heart, not just your boots.”
Spoiler: Roy reads it. Grumbles about it. But somewhere along the way…
He starts leading differently.
(Bonus points if you just imagined Roy Kent awkwardly hugging someone and calling it a 'tactical emotional intervention.')
Leadership Lesson (Wrapped in a Dust Jacket):
Fiction trains us for real-life leadership moments:
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Handling conflict without turning into a supervillain
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Understanding why Jamie Tartt is acting out again
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Spotting the difference between what someone says and what they need
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Seeing the shy intern as a future star
When we read stories, we absorb nuance. Motivation. Perspective.
All things you can’t get from a spreadsheet.
📚 Your Turn:
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What book made you cry in public (no judgment)?
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What character do you secretly lead like — Atticus Finch? Elizabeth Bennet? Samwise Gamgee?
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What’s a novel you could gift to someone on your team — not to fix them, but to show you see them?
Not all leadership lessons come from TED Talks.
Some come from Ted Lasso handing you a paperback and saying,
“You’ll get it when you’re ready.”
More leadership musings
🍪 Biscuits with the Boss:
Icebreaker time:
Pick two fictional characters:
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One that you see yourself as, and
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One that those closest to you would probably pick for you.
Do they match? Do they clash?
Are you Batman on the inside but more Paddington on the outside?
Let’s find out.
📚Beard’s collection:
🌀 A Wrinkle in Time — Given to Roy Kent
What it’s about: A young girl travels across time and space to rescue her father and defeat a dark force — using courage, love, and heart over brute strength.
Why Roy got it: Ted knew Roy didn’t need more toughness — he needed permission to lead with emotion, not just muscle. Roy’s wrinkle? Realizing vulnerability is strength.
🚀 Ender’s Game — Given to Sam Obisanya
What it’s about: A gifted boy is trained through games and strategy to lead a war against an alien race — and must balance compassion with command.
Why Sam got it: Like Ender, Sam leads through intellect, humility, and empathy. Ted saw the potential for greatness in Sam’s thoughtful, team-first approach — long before Sam did.
💔 The Beautiful and the Damned — Given to Jamie Tartt
What it’s about: A Jazz Age tale of a self-absorbed socialite whose charm and ambition unravel into emptiness.
Why Jamie got it: This was Ted’s literary way of saying, “Don’t be this guy.” Jamie’s story arc is all about shedding ego and finding meaning beyond fame — something Anthony Patch never quite manages.
🌎 This week in Here - There - Every F’ing where
If you are a listening reader (and want to laugh OUT LOUD at the introduction to Lead it Like Lasso - you can now get it here on Audible.
And here's a question for you. Have you ever been one of the first followers of a new business/book. If you like what we do here at Lead it Like Lasso, you might want to check us out at Blue: The Business of You (or you might want to follow along just to see what happens when two Gen Xers attempt - the TikTok). Follow us here.
Happy day!
Nick & Marnie
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