Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Dale Cooper is a strange man – I don’t think anyone would deny that. When he comes to Twin Peaks he’s a fresh-faced agent in his late 20s, riding solo on what may be a simple investigation, but may also be another link in a chain he’s been following for some time.
Cooper’s time in Twin Peaks is rife with danger and intrigue, as with any good soap opera, but it’s also clear from the very first episode on one important thing: Dale Cooper is a damn fine, excuse me, a damn fine leader.
There’s a few reasons for that, and some lessons worth learning from him even 30+ years later.
Don’t hide your enthusiasm.
Whether you fall over yourself for a cup of coffee as black as night, or for the perfect slice of Norma’s cherry pie, there’s no reason to play it cool. Be enthusiastic about things, because being your authentic self is the path to being not only effective but also happy with your life and your time.
Of special note: give more thumbs ups. They work if you smile.
Set boundaries, even when friendly.
When Cooper arrives in Twin Peaks and meets his local counterpart, his first conversation with Sheriff Harry S Truman is about how great his drive into Twin Peaks was. His second is about the boundaries he’s setting: he’s in charge here, and it’s his investigation. No “I hope that’s okay,” because he doesn’t hope – he knows. As soon as that boundary is set, the conversation returns to pie, because boundaries don’t need to hang in the air when they’re clear and both respectful and respected.
Similarly, Cooper shows his boundaries with Doctor Jacoby just moments later, when the Doctor tries to accompany him to the morgue. It’s a small town, and everyone’s friendly; Truman seems ready to just shrug and let it happen, but Cooper knows it’s not a good idea, and puts his foot down firmly but not rudely.
Set those boundaries. It’s kinder than letting people walk over them.
Give yourself a gift, every single day.
Look, life is hard. There’s basically always some sort of horrific war happening somewhere, the economy is always either in ruins or on the precipice of being there, and capitalism continues to run us meatsuits into the ground.
The secret, Cooper tells Harry, is to give yourself a gift every single day. It doesn’t need to be a big one. It also doesn’t need to be a cup of coffee or a slice of pie; it could be five minutes of quiet after dropping off the kids, dancing with your partner in the living room with your favourite song blasting, or an episode of a TV show you can’t get enough of during your lunch break.
Take the time and, more importantly, make the conscious decision to act in pursuit of your own happiness, even if it’s something small. Every single day.
Give a shit.
Dale Cooper cares a lot, not only about the case he’s come to investigate, but about the human beings involved. He listens to their woes, makes friends, and doesn’t let professionalism get in the way of remembering that he’s there because he’s a human helping other humans.
Sometimes that caring shows through heart-to-heart conversations. Sometimes it shows through an aside to Diane, talking about land property values in this place that’s come to claim him. And sometimes it shows through his doing his job, even when it’s hard. But he never stops caring, even after twenty-five years in the Black Lodge.
Know and lean into your strengths.
Observation is a valuable skill for a federal agent to have, and Coop knows it. He also knows that he doesn’t already get it right – but he tries anyway. He practices his strange intuitive methods (based on David Lynch’s own beliefs…ish), letting his subconscious collate all of the data he’s observing in a passive way and transforming it into action.
Your strength may not be quite as honed or supernaturally narrative-driving as Cooper’s, but it’s there. Maybe it’s tactical strategy, born of years of video game playing; maybe it’s empathic listening from a long life of being a great friend. Maybe you love cleaning, or maybe you trip into conversations with all of your neighbours and coworkers and happen to have a giant network because of it.
Find those strengths and don’t downplay them, no matter what society has taught you about their value – their value is intrinsic, and it’s also transferable. You can find ways to use what that skill does in your brain to make your life better in other ways and, as a leader, you can help others do the same with their own strengths.