In the book The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban: How Alabama’s Coach Became the Greatest Ever, writer John Talty explores the details that make Coach Saban successful. Through the use of observations, interviews, and analysis, Talty outlines unique insights about developing and sustaining a winning program. While Talty outlines seventeen key characteristics, seven stood out as unique areas for analysis:
- Promise Opportunity: The first key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is his ability to offer an opportunity to compete in practices in order to show whether players are capable of competing in games. Even with some of the absolute best players in both college history, Coach Saban only promises them an opportunity to compete for playing time. How do you communicate with players around playing and opportunity?
- Everyone Leads: The second key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is the importance of not just one leader, but a team full of leaders. Saban believes fully that every person part of the program is responsible for leading in the program. Not only does he expect that, but he also strategically teaches and holds others accountable to doing that work. How effectively do you develop leaders within your program?
- Develop the Process: The third key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is a relentless focus on the process. The process is a way of life for Alabama football and Coach Saban. Every person in the organization develops detailed processes for the most important aspects of the program including nutrition, mental approach, practice planning, and game film, among many others. He leaves nothing to chance, and the process is the center of everything. How well do you define, outline, and utilize the process?
- Prepare for Success: The fourth key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is a detailed focus on preparation. Everything Coach Saban does is in preparation for something larger and more important: they know what endzone they want in overtime, what play they’ll run in every down, and what the other team will do in certain situations. Saban prepares for every possible scenario. How well do you prepare for what happens in games?
- Evaluate and Evolve: The fifth key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is his ability to evaluate and evolve based on past performance. Even though Saban seems authoritarian, he’s far from unwilling to change. One reason he’s had such success is that he is willing to change. Saban utilized a run-heavy offense for years and had success, but he needed to spread the game out on offense and evolve. How well do you evaluate and evolve in order to succeed?
- Provide Honest Feedback: The sixth key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is his ability to provide very honest feedback. Many people avoid having hard conversations and speaking the truth. Saban’s ability to identify areas of growth, communicate those honestly, and hold others accountable makes him an exceptional coach. How well do you provide honesty feedback for growth?
- Eliminate Complacency: The seventh key leadership lesson from Coach Saban is his relentless effort in eliminating complacency. Numerous times throughout his career after he won big games, he immediately began preparing for the next game, communicating with players about improvements, and watching film on opponents. Enjoying a win for too long creates complacency, and he works to eliminate that as soon as possible. How well do you work against complacency with your team?
Coach Saban’s career and success have been clearly documented and shared with the coaching and leadership world. Talty’s analysis of Coach Saban’s leadership lessons provides unique insight to some of the lesser known strategies he uses for success. Reaching and sustaining success requires critical leadership skills that help teams rise to the top.
What are the key leadership strategies that impact success and results?