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The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban: How Alabama's Coach Became the Greatest Ever
Wall Street Journal BestsellerFor almost every year of the last decade, any college team coveting a national championship has had to reckon with going against the Crimson Tide.With coach Nick Saban at the helm, Alabama has won six of the last 12 national titles. The 2020 championship team showcased Saban’s evolution as a leader and further solidified what many long suspected was Nick Saban is college football’s greatest coach ever.Leaders of any kind, including coaches and beyond, stand to gain great wisdom and inspiration by learning from his success.In The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban, senior sports editor and SEC Insider for Alabama Media Group, John Talty, highlights the keys to Saban’s winning strategy and offers readers a blueprint for paving their own paths to success using the esteemed coach’s leadership lessons.Through original interviews and never-before-heard anecdotes, Talty charts Saban’s journey to college football’s mountaintop and reveals some of the magic behind what keeps him atop it. You’ll get an inside look at what it’s like to work or play for Coach Saban, including the mottos and motivation strategies he uses to inspire his organization. Competing universities commit tens of millions of dollars to hiring coaches who might unlock a little of Saban’s magic for their teams. With this book, you’ll learn the key traits and habits that propel Alabama football without having to foot the hefty bill others have.Whether you want to build a winning culture on the football field or as a leader in a range of professional arenas, this book is a comprehensive guide to refusing complacency amid success and how to find the right people committed to building a legacy with you.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2022
208 people are currently reading
790 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
January 1, 2026
Coach Saban puts an emphasis on accountability, preparation and hard work to be a high achiever among other things. This culminated in Nick Saban becoming the greatest College Football Coach of all time. One thing I can take away from this tonight is having the thought process of “So what, now what”. No matter if I succeed or fail I need to be focused on the next task. Roll Tide!
July 1, 2022
You don't have to be a football coach or a CEO to appreciate the techniques that have made Nick Saban a success. These strategies can be applied to real life. This book covers Saban's start at Toledo as a head coach after many years as an assistant all the way to his years at Bama. John Talty has become the foremost authority on all things Nick Saban after researching him for years and talking to the people that he has worked and coached with for years.
This book lays out his "process" that lead to his success. It all starts with conditioning and pushing yourself to the limits. You have to have a sense or urgency to get the job done. You have to set expectations for yourself and those around you. In doing so you express to them the sense of urgency you have as well. And you set the standard that you want for yourself and others and how you will achieve it. But while you are doing these things you can help others that have lost their way and need a do over if you will. Much has been written about Saban's coaches rehab program.
Saban has shown time and time again how to grow and change with the times and adjust your thinking to change with the times.
This book lays out his "process" that lead to his success. It all starts with conditioning and pushing yourself to the limits. You have to have a sense or urgency to get the job done. You have to set expectations for yourself and those around you. In doing so you express to them the sense of urgency you have as well. And you set the standard that you want for yourself and others and how you will achieve it. But while you are doing these things you can help others that have lost their way and need a do over if you will. Much has been written about Saban's coaches rehab program.
Saban has shown time and time again how to grow and change with the times and adjust your thinking to change with the times.
July 4, 2023
Nick Saban is the epitome of work ethic and the drive to win. He has an obsession since a young boy to achieve greatness. This is a great American story of a man who landed in an organization with potential, created the bylaws for it, established a recruiting first and last mentality, formed leaders within his organization to carry out his vision, and then built a legacy with all of those who have ever been coached by him. This is a must read for any future leader.
P.S. I don’t watch football.
P.S. I don’t watch football.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
What a great read. Different than any Saban book that’s been written. Purely about leadership and what it takes.
December 14, 2024
Listened to audio book, good besides Butch Jones propaganda
February 24, 2024
Interesting read on the secrets and style of Coach Saban. Have had this on my to read list and after his announced retirement, wanted to read more so bumped it up in the queue. Interesting to hear several things repeated as the secrets and how player after player, coach after coach, reinforced the same principles. We each have the stive to be the very best we can be with every interaction, and we need to improve each and every day. The competition is with ourself to be better.
Good read and worth the time. Does reinforce many points that have been shared by Coach Saban and in many other writings.
Good read and worth the time. Does reinforce many points that have been shared by Coach Saban and in many other writings.
August 31, 2022
John Talty's volume on Nick Saban is one of the best. Taking the approach of analyzing what makes Saban successful and applying that to all life works as it helps him add new anecdotes about the coach. There are reasons why Saban is the best, and Talty covers those reasons with clarity and cohesion. This has been one of my favorite "football" books because it provides great stories and great ideas. All that, and it's a shorter read.
For more writings, visit: https://www.thealabamatake.com
For more writings, visit: https://www.thealabamatake.com
February 28, 2025
Recommended by a Roll Tide'n Alabama native—I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, which made it all the more appealing. Not only was it an exceptional read, but I’m now a Nick Saban convert.
John Talty provides a window into Saban’s formula for dominating college football, showcasing Saban’s core principles. From "The Process" to the 24-Hour Rule, Saban’s leadership lessons go beyond football, offering valuable insights on avoiding complacency and maintaining high standards. I’ll undoubtedly be recommending this book to my OSU and SEC loving friends.
On a side note—if you want to learn how to be a great man, skip the generic business books filled with anecdotal advice. Ask me what I remember from HBR’s 10 Essays on Mental Toughness, and I wouldn’t have much to say. But I can tell you all about Nick Saban and Theodore Roosevelt’s principles. If you want to learn real principles, read about real men. Roll Tide.
Notes:
- “The Process”: Nick Saban emphasized focusing on the process rather than the results. He believed success comes from daily discipline, attention to detail, and unwavering consistency. Regardless of the opponent or the scoreboard, he expected the same level of effort and intensity in preparation for every game. This commitment to excellence applied to everyone in his organization.
- Avoiding Complacency: Saban coached the crucialness of complacency aversion. It was said that he only enjoyed a championship for 48 hours before shifting his full focus to the next season. This mindset aligned with his process-driven approach—he believed that being obsessed with results made it harder to move forward after achieving them. Saban once said, “complacency breeds a blatant disregard for doing what is right”
- The 24-Hour Rule: Whether celebrating a major victory or suffering a tough loss, Saban allowed his players 24 hours to process the outcome—then it was time to move forward and get back to work. Saban understood that getting too high or too low interferes with performance.
- Eliminating Clutter: Saban often spoke about "clutter"—outside distractions that interfere with achieving goals. He was relentless in his commitment to work, to the point where it was rumored, he never got sick or took a day off. His philosophy was "standard over feelings," pushing players to stay focused and remove anything that hindered their performance.
- Promise of Opportunity: When recruiting, Nick Saban only promised players an opportunity—not guaranteed playing time or championships like other schools. This honesty earned him respect and helped attract top talent.
- Career Strategy: Saban was proactive in shaping his career, understanding that growth requires being in the right environment. This mindset led him to leave Michigan State for LSU, recognizing the opportunity to advance.
John Talty provides a window into Saban’s formula for dominating college football, showcasing Saban’s core principles. From "The Process" to the 24-Hour Rule, Saban’s leadership lessons go beyond football, offering valuable insights on avoiding complacency and maintaining high standards. I’ll undoubtedly be recommending this book to my OSU and SEC loving friends.
On a side note—if you want to learn how to be a great man, skip the generic business books filled with anecdotal advice. Ask me what I remember from HBR’s 10 Essays on Mental Toughness, and I wouldn’t have much to say. But I can tell you all about Nick Saban and Theodore Roosevelt’s principles. If you want to learn real principles, read about real men. Roll Tide.
Notes:
- “The Process”: Nick Saban emphasized focusing on the process rather than the results. He believed success comes from daily discipline, attention to detail, and unwavering consistency. Regardless of the opponent or the scoreboard, he expected the same level of effort and intensity in preparation for every game. This commitment to excellence applied to everyone in his organization.
- Avoiding Complacency: Saban coached the crucialness of complacency aversion. It was said that he only enjoyed a championship for 48 hours before shifting his full focus to the next season. This mindset aligned with his process-driven approach—he believed that being obsessed with results made it harder to move forward after achieving them. Saban once said, “complacency breeds a blatant disregard for doing what is right”
- The 24-Hour Rule: Whether celebrating a major victory or suffering a tough loss, Saban allowed his players 24 hours to process the outcome—then it was time to move forward and get back to work. Saban understood that getting too high or too low interferes with performance.
- Eliminating Clutter: Saban often spoke about "clutter"—outside distractions that interfere with achieving goals. He was relentless in his commitment to work, to the point where it was rumored, he never got sick or took a day off. His philosophy was "standard over feelings," pushing players to stay focused and remove anything that hindered their performance.
- Promise of Opportunity: When recruiting, Nick Saban only promised players an opportunity—not guaranteed playing time or championships like other schools. This honesty earned him respect and helped attract top talent.
- Career Strategy: Saban was proactive in shaping his career, understanding that growth requires being in the right environment. This mindset led him to leave Michigan State for LSU, recognizing the opportunity to advance.
January 1, 2026
The author, John Talty, interviewed fellow coaches, former players and others that were close to Saban to get an inside look at his leadership. This book is full of wisdom that can be applied by anyone in a leadership positions. It's also chock-full of Saban-isms, like, "It's a slippery pole from the penthouse to the shit house."
Some other takeaways:
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people."
Saban on trying to bring in big recruits, "Only promise opportunity."
"Our team is a family. We will look out for each other. We love one another. Anything that attempts to tear us apart only makes us stronger."
"Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong."
To truly achieve something great as a leader, you must be willing to have the hard conversations, no matter how uncomfortable they might be.
Plan your work. Then, work your plan.
"I'm not looking for blessing to come to my life; I'm looking to be a blessing in someone's life."
The best chapter, to me, was on Saban's "process." Some takeaways from that chapter:
"Our goal today is to be better than yesterday."
In order to promote a sense of urgency, think of situations as "4th and goal every day."
"Do you want to live with the pain of discipline or the pain of disappointment?"
Every day we have two options: (1) Get better (2) Get worse. There is no status quo. There is no staying the same.
The opponent does not matter, the standard is perfection. Our opponent is perfection.
"Your actions speak so loudly I can't hear what you're saying." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The Process" requires supreme focus and commitment.
Some other takeaways:
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people."
Saban on trying to bring in big recruits, "Only promise opportunity."
"Our team is a family. We will look out for each other. We love one another. Anything that attempts to tear us apart only makes us stronger."
"Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong."
To truly achieve something great as a leader, you must be willing to have the hard conversations, no matter how uncomfortable they might be.
Plan your work. Then, work your plan.
"I'm not looking for blessing to come to my life; I'm looking to be a blessing in someone's life."
The best chapter, to me, was on Saban's "process." Some takeaways from that chapter:
"Our goal today is to be better than yesterday."
In order to promote a sense of urgency, think of situations as "4th and goal every day."
"Do you want to live with the pain of discipline or the pain of disappointment?"
Every day we have two options: (1) Get better (2) Get worse. There is no status quo. There is no staying the same.
The opponent does not matter, the standard is perfection. Our opponent is perfection.
"Your actions speak so loudly I can't hear what you're saying." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The Process" requires supreme focus and commitment.
September 19, 2022
If Alabama is the Coke of college football, it doesn’t worry about what Pepsi is doing. (p. 40)
How fitting to be reading a book on leadership that takes tenets from the greatest college football coach ever!
Nick Saban knows football. But more importantly, he knows how to lead his organization with clear vision. As a result, his expectation for excellence is understood. So much of his model is applicable to the business world and this book helps break down how to do it right.
Some key take aways I am finding I can even apply to my kiddos:
- set your standards high
- only offer opportunities, not crazy promises
- empower others to empower
- improve when turnover happens
If you are a CEO, middle manager, or a parent trying to incorporate more laser focus from your “team” pick this book up!! When all else fails, give em an “ass chewing” and see what happens. Sometimes it’s not W.W.J.D.
Sometimes, it’s W.W.N.S.D.
RTR
@drlitrx
How fitting to be reading a book on leadership that takes tenets from the greatest college football coach ever!
Nick Saban knows football. But more importantly, he knows how to lead his organization with clear vision. As a result, his expectation for excellence is understood. So much of his model is applicable to the business world and this book helps break down how to do it right.
Some key take aways I am finding I can even apply to my kiddos:
- set your standards high
- only offer opportunities, not crazy promises
- empower others to empower
- improve when turnover happens
If you are a CEO, middle manager, or a parent trying to incorporate more laser focus from your “team” pick this book up!! When all else fails, give em an “ass chewing” and see what happens. Sometimes it’s not W.W.J.D.
Sometimes, it’s W.W.N.S.D.
RTR
@drlitrx
November 17, 2022
This did not go the direction I anticipated at all. My expectations were superseded in every way possible! What this book accomplished to me was to first of all, allow me to see an amazing amount of depth to a man, and a good man, not just a coach of a program that only until I completed this book, had no liking for. The program, the near flawless performances of a team many will call the greatest college program of all time, was built on, and maintained by simple principles that I think quite often we forget in today's society. An appreciation for good character, hard work, trust, hard work, and an un-dying passion to always improve, never relent. All I'm saying is, I'd vote for him. Much respect to you, Coach Saban.
January 7, 2025
Nick Saban’s lack of complacency is what drove him to be such an amazing coach and an even better leader. His mantra surrounding the fact that if you can fall in love with the process and not the results, you will achieve greatness much quicker is indeed a great way to view progress. Why not just take it out of the equation all together and focus on each day or task at the individual level.
Later in his career and after achieving so much, he was able to let more of his personality shine through, which stuck with the players more. I think that part of the process especially when it comes to self development is having fun, whilst putting your all into your daily tasks and goals. But for Saban it seemed like winning and perfecting his program and players was fun to him.
Later in his career and after achieving so much, he was able to let more of his personality shine through, which stuck with the players more. I think that part of the process especially when it comes to self development is having fun, whilst putting your all into your daily tasks and goals. But for Saban it seemed like winning and perfecting his program and players was fun to him.
August 19, 2022
This book was very informative and present aspect that Saban lives by and demands of his teams. The text would be beneficial to everyone to learn from. However, the best areas would be anyone involved in business and human management. The author utilizes members of Saban's staff and individuals from team to demonstrate various components needed for leadership. It's not an x's and o's book however the writer demonstrate when teams didn't follow "The Process" as design they lose focus which results less than the expected outcome or result. In game that equates to loses. In business could be lose deals or other failures within the business. He talks about the recruiting process and how everybody, bottom to top has to be on the same page. Never promise anything other than an opportunity. Through the writers text you begin to understand Saban the man and what has made him the success he is. Recommend to coaches, players and business majors and anyone dealing with human behavior or in management roles.
November 19, 2025
Insightful and inspiring! This is a very well written account of the coach who is a legend in the Collegiate arena of football. I appreciated the detailed look into mindsets and values that were held by the coach and the approaches that Nick Saban took to see success. Hard work and dogged determination are rare in our world today but truly is a foundation to long term success.
There are right things to do and there are wrong things to do. One of the greatest things that I saw in the account was that Nick Saban learned how to be adaptable while not compromising his values. This might have been the greatest lesson that anyone reading could have taken away.
There are right things to do and there are wrong things to do. One of the greatest things that I saw in the account was that Nick Saban learned how to be adaptable while not compromising his values. This might have been the greatest lesson that anyone reading could have taken away.
January 30, 2024
Although the information provided in this book was probably 5 stars, the writing and organization of the book merits 2 starts, maybe only 1 star.
The author took 5 pages to convey what he could have conveyed in 1 page. His writing style is wordy, redundant and verbose.
If you want to get the info from this book, read only every 5th paragraph and the topic sentences of the other 4 paragraphs. By doing this, you will absorb 98% of the information in this book and save 75% of time had you read every paragraph in book.
The author took 5 pages to convey what he could have conveyed in 1 page. His writing style is wordy, redundant and verbose.
If you want to get the info from this book, read only every 5th paragraph and the topic sentences of the other 4 paragraphs. By doing this, you will absorb 98% of the information in this book and save 75% of time had you read every paragraph in book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2025
I thought this book was super interesting and insightful. Everyone knows who Nick Saban is but not everyone knows what made him the coach and leader he is. This book uses 100s of hours of interviews with former players and coaches of Saban’s to tell the story of the legendary coach. I thought this book was a great case study on good leadership and discipline as a leader. Nick Saban certainly used a bold strategy and set a very high bar but clearly it worked for him and this book gives the reader a great glance into a Saban run program. Interesting and insightful read.
December 26, 2022
For reasons that are hard to explain, I found this book to be rather tedious. Yes, I learned some new things about Nick Saban and The Process. But in the end, not enough to warrant the time and expense associated with reading this book. Part of it is there did not seem t9 be any direct interviews of the man himself. Last year I listened to an hour long speech Saban gave at some convention in Atalanta. Honestly, that was a far more insightful experience.
January 21, 2024
As an Alabama fan, of course, I love this book! But it’s not just for Alabama fans it’s following Nick Saban‘s life and his extreme passion to be excellent. It talks about doing the right things every single day to get you to where you want to go when it’s easier to take shortcuts. This book has really shaped how I think about things from a professional and personal perspective. I highly recommend for anyone who has a fire in them to want to be great.
July 3, 2024
This book included some stories that I had known, but also many stories that I had not yet heard.
And while the title suggests such, I was surprised at how much this book is framed as a business/success manual. It was well done! It’s often been said of Nick Saban that had he been a corporate CEO he would’ve been an industry leader there too. And this book reveals why, and how.
I Enjoyed it so much. Made me wanna be a better person
And while the title suggests such, I was surprised at how much this book is framed as a business/success manual. It was well done! It’s often been said of Nick Saban that had he been a corporate CEO he would’ve been an industry leader there too. And this book reveals why, and how.
I Enjoyed it so much. Made me wanna be a better person
January 22, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. We all think Saban can be a robot or emotionless, but this peels back the curtain to reveal his real personality. Lots of solid leadership insights to implement if you are in a team environment. You also begin to realize how truly accomplished of a coach he is across his timeline even with the constant staff and player changes as well as the style of football of what it’s became today.
July 2, 2025
Really enjoyed hearing all the Saban stories. Saban’s leadership is not necessarily unique. The stories are great illustrations. I would have liked to see more how those same principals are used by other great organizations outside of football. We saw a little of that on the last chapter.
Nonetheless an enjoyable read.
Nonetheless an enjoyable read.
Read
November 18, 2025Enjoyed this read as a Nick Saban and Alabama fan but also took away seriously great leadership principles. There’s good nuggets on everything from building a team, continuing a pursuit of excellence when success occurs, replacing yourself/training up other leaders, etc. Lots to highlight in this one… and I expect to re-visit it as a leadership resource!
August 10, 2022
Talty does a wonderful job weaving fascinating anecdotes with leadership principles in a way that’s genuine and fun to read. Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning how the best get the most out of the people around them
April 28, 2023
Pretty good insight into Nick Sabans program, his methods (from a high level view), and his dedication to his craft. This is a good general overview of his entire life and coaching career, with obviously the most emphasis on his time at Alabama.
November 2, 2023
Easy read and well researched. It loses points for me because book is a bit more in the "business, self-improvement" category--relating Saban's homespun wisdom to the "leadership" qualities identified by academics.
January 1, 2024
Just not my type of book I guess. A lot of football detail and little on leadership skills. Nick is a great leader and had great skills with his players but this just wasn't the leadership builder I hoped for. More of a history of his successes and how he handled them.
January 24, 2024
If you’re a leader in any organization this book is a must. So many lessons to learn and a lot of ideas to write down and highlight. The absolute greatest leader in college football. You have no choice but to learn from him. And if you say you cant then you’re wrong.
February 1, 2024
It’s no wonder this man was as successful as he is. This book seriously changed some of the ways I live. The mind is a powerful powerful thing, and using it to your advantage to be the best person you can be is so valuable. A great read for anyone, not just those in football.
October 3, 2024
Love or hate Alabama football, but this book is a must read if you’re leading a team of people to do anything. Saban clearly knows how to build the best teams and get the best effort from them. I’ll be reading this book again.
January 31, 2025
This is such a great read, and so different from most business books. I think Saban’s emphasis on a process rather than a goal is so relatable to how to approach any job. I loved the idea of just getting better every day and then the good results will follow.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews