Curiosity #77 - What Would Ted Lasso Do in This (Airport) Line?

🎤 Quotable quotes: “Human beings are never going to be perfect. The best we can do is keep showing up for each other."

— Ted Lasso

If you’ve been near an airport lately, you’ve felt it.

Longer lines.
Slower movement.
More sighs per square foot than usual.

It’s one of those rare moments where everyone is thinking the same thing:

“This should not be this hard.”

And yet… here we are.

Standing. Waiting. Checking the clock like it might suddenly start cooperating.

Which got us wondering.

Not how to fix it.

But how to be in it.

What would Ted Lasso do in this line?

🏟 Why This Matters for You

Ted would not start by diagnosing the system.

He would start by reading the room.

The traveler pacing like they’re training for a marathon.
The parent negotiating snacks like a hostage situation.
The TSA agent answering the same question for the 147th time.

And right next to Ted?

Higgins.

Calm. Unbothered. Quietly making the moment better without needing credit for it.

That’s the real lesson.

In moments like this, there are two kinds of people.

Those who add to the tension.
And those who absorb it.

Here’s how Ted and Higgins would play it:

1. Lower the temperature.
Ted brings warmth. Higgins brings calm. Neither makes things louder. Both make things easier.

2. See the unseen.
A simple “thank you” to someone having a tough day is not small. It is leadership.

3. Stay curious about people, not just problems.
Instead of asking “Why is this happening?” they ask “What might this person be dealing with?”

4. Control the controllable.
They cannot speed up the line. But they can choose patience, presence, and a little bit of grace.

5. Make the moment more human.
Ted might crack a joke. Higgins might offer a reassuring nod. Different styles. Same impact.

🎯 What This Means for You

Most of us won’t fix airport lines.

But all of us live in moments like this every day.

The meeting that runs long.
The project that stalls.
The situation that feels just outside our control.

That’s where leadership shows up.

Not when things are smooth.

But when they are slow, inconvenient, and slightly annoying.

Because in those moments, people remember:

Did you make it better?
Or did you make it heavier?

Ted leads with energy.
Higgins leads with presence.

Both change the experience without changing the situation.

🏁 Final Thought

Ted would not skip the line.

Higgins would not complain about the line.

Together, they would quietly make the line better for everyone else.

And sometimes, that is exactly what leadership looks like.

— Nick & Marnie
Your tea sipping, line standing, tension lowering friends

More leadership musings

🍪 Biscuits with the Boss: 

Icebreaker time:
Think about the last frustrating situation you could not control.

Did you add to the tension, or help absorb it?

Bonus question:
What would your “Higgins move” be the next time you’re stuck in a long line?

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

Marnie was super excited to get to meet some fellow Lasso fans (and outstanding leaders) live this week! So many good tips were shared that we decided to record lunch for all the takeaways! Expect to hear some of those tips in upcoming podcasts :) 

And when Marnie gets a text that Kellie will be two hours away, she hops in the car. Who is someone on your list that you connect with so well that you will drop everything to catch up? We talked all things education and what students need to succeed in an uncertain career landscape.

Believe! 

Nick & Marnie