What Sesame Street Still Teaches Us About Leadership

Today is International Sesame Street Day, and it got me thinking.

Although I’m Irish, I was born in the US and didn’t move to Ireland until I was nearly six. I can still remember sitting in front of the TV watching Sesame Street, completely absorbed. Long before I ever thought about leadership, it was quietly shaping how I saw the world through laughter, difference, and endless questions.

I also remember being genuinely upset when I learned that Mr. Hooper had died. It was one of the first times a TV show spoke honestly about loss, helping children understand something adults often struggle to talk about. Looking back, that moment said as much about emotional resilience as any leadership book ever could.

For over fifty years, that colourful street has been teaching children how to learn, listen, and live together. But if you look closely, it’s also a quiet masterclass in the three qualities that underpin great leadership and coaching, Curiosity, Acceptance, and Resilience.

Curiosity — every question on Sesame Street begins with why, how, or what if? The show was built on wonder, inviting children to explore, make mistakes, and learn by doing. In leadership, curiosity keeps us open, adaptive, and humble enough to see what we might be missing.

Acceptance — the show modelled belonging long before most workplaces did. Monsters, birds, humans, and grouches all had a place. Acceptance isn’t about agreeing with everything, it’s about creating the space where difference can be seen and valued. In coaching, that kind of acceptance is what allows change to take root.

Resilience — nothing on Sesame Street ever worked perfectly the first time. Mistakes were part of the story, not the ending. The characters stumbled, laughed, and tried again. That’s resilience in its purest form, the steady rhythm of learning through imperfection.

So maybe today’s a good day to pause and ask, What did I once know instinctively that I’ve since unlearned?

I’d love to hear what lessons from childhood have stayed with you?