In a World Of Toxicity Be More Like Ted

Empathy is the Secret Weapon

When collaboration breaks down, it’s rarely because people can’t work together. It’s because they don’t understand each other.

Picture this: marketing wants to launch fast, while engineering wants to ensure everything works flawlessly. They both care. But they operate from different mindsets—and those mindsets clash unless bridged by insight.

Be Like Ted Lasso

In Ted Lasso, the mustachioed coach doesn’t win because he’s the smartest in the room. He wins because he understands people. He listens. He empathizes. He builds trust by seeing others clearly.

That’s what insight is: understanding the “why” behind the “what.”

Tools for Empathic Insight

1. Empathy Interviews: Sit with team members or stakeholders and ask: “What’s important to you in this process?” or “Where do you feel friction?”
2. Perspective Swapping: In meetings, have each function argue from the other’s point of view. Chaos? Yes. Enlightening? Absolutely.
3. Journey Mapping: Visualize how different roles experience the same project or process. Where are the pain points? Where’s the disconnect?

Empathy isn’t just about being nice. It’s strategic insight. When you understand others’ motivations, constraints, and emotions—you unlock creativity, trust, and alignment.