The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban: How Alabama's Coach Became the Greatest Ever

by John Talty

Overview

Wall Street Journal Bestseller

For 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 true: 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637740835
Publisher:	BenBella Books
Publication date:	08/09/2022
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

John Talty is the senior sports editor and SEC Insider for Alabama Media Group, the leading statewide news organization—which includes AL.com, The Birmingham News, The Mobile Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times. He is an award-winning journalist who has covered college sports for nearly two decades, with a specific focus on the Southeastern Conference for most of the last decade.

Located in Birmingham, Alabama—the same city the SEC calls home—no one has a better feel for what moves Alabama and SEC football fans than John. He frequently appears on The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network, the most influential college sports show in the country, and regularly makes appearances on ESPN and Sirius/XM national radio shows. Finebaum has referred to John often on his show as college football’s best writer.

John has primarily covered SEC football since joining The Jackson Clarion-Ledger in 2012. In Alabama, John has written extensively about Saban and his Alabama football program. He has built deep relationships with former players, coaches, and staffers who have shared the same orbit as Saban. John also focused on sports business angles throughout college athletics, regularly writing about TV rights and athletic department finances, among other topics.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 The Turnaround Artist 7

Chapter 2 Build Your Team Framework 19

Chapter 3 Only Promise Opportunity 31

Chapter 4 You Can't Be the Only Leader 43

Chapter 5 Use Staff Turnover to Improve 57

Chapter 6 Give Distressed Assets Another Chance 73

Chapter 7 "The Process" 85

Chapter 8 Don't Let Outside Factors Impact Your Goals 95

Chapter 9 Pick Where You Can Win 105

Chapter 10 Delegation Is Good but Too Much Kills the Culture 117

Chapter 11 Preparation Is Everything 129

Chapter 12 Don't Waste a Failing 147

Chapter 13 Evaluate Yourself Constantly, Evolve When Necessary 159

Chapter 14 Honesty Is Hard but Critical 171

Chapter 15 "Rat Poison" and Other Lessons from the Podium 183

Chapter 16 Complacency Kills Future Success 195

Chapter 17 Be True to Yourself 205

Chapter 18 Applying Saban's Lessons Beyond Football 217

Acknowledgments 227

Index 229

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This is a remarkable must-read book—an absolute masterpiece. John Talty has written an instant classic, one that grabs you on the first page and holds you breathlessly until its conclusion. The book takes you deep into the secret vault of college football’s greatest coach with never-revealed stories and piercing analysis. Talty was already considered one of the sport’s finest commentators and with this, he has cemented his legacy." 
—Paul Finebaum, ESPN commentator and radio host
 
"John Talty peels back the curtain on the greatest college football coach in the sport's history, giving us the rare inside look at Nick Saban's personality, tactics, and motivations. His book digs deep on a man few know well, offering an insightful, exciting, and revealing read, all in an effort to answer the mystery: How's he done it?" 
—Ross Dellenger, Sports Illustrated national college football writer
 
"I've spent my career teaching business leadership strategies. John Talty's new book, The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban, just jumped to the top of my recommended reading list for my clients. It's an enjoyable and useful deep dive into what makes Saban tick, and how he creates a ‘clear-eyed strategy’ to building and maintaining a successful organization." 
—Joe Calloway, author of Be the Best at What Matters Most
 
"I would recommend this book for everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to my children, as they grow into leadership roles. John Talty's writing is so easy to read and accessible to all that anyone would benefit from reading this book."
—Sgt. Noah Galloway (retired), Purple Heart recipient and author of Living with No Excuses: The Remarkable Rebirth of an American Soldier
 
"John Talty has captured the key takeaways of Nick Saban's leadership excellence, and what he presents works—IF YOU DO IT. Get this book for everyone on your leadership team. Go through it together, hold each other accountable, and exponentially grow your organization. Success leaves clues. Learn from Saban and Talty." 
—Dave Anderson, president of LearnToLead and author of Intentional Mindset

Editorial Reviews

""This is a remarkable must-read book—an absolute masterpiece. John Talty has written an instant classic, one that grabs you on the first page and holds you breathlessly until its conclusion. The book takes you deep into the secret vault of college football's greatest coach with never-revealed stories and piercing analysis. Talty was already considered one of the sport's finest commentators and with this, he has cemented his legacy."
—Paul Finebaum, ESPN commentator and radio host

"John Talty peels back the curtain on the greatest college football coach in the sport's history, giving us the rare inside look at Nick Saban's personality, tactics, and motivations. His book digs deep on a man few know well, offering an insightful, exciting, and revealing read, all in an effort to answer the mystery: How's he done it?"
—Ross Dellenger, Sports Illustrated national college football writer

"I've spent my career teaching business leadership strategies. John Talty's new book, The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban, just jumped to the top of my recommended reading list for my clients. It's an enjoyable and useful deep dive into what makes Saban tick, and how he creates a ‘clear-eyed strategy' to building and maintaining a successful organization."
—Joe Calloway, author of Be the Best at What Matters Most

"I would recommend this book for everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to my children, as they grow into leadership roles. John Talty's writing is so easy to read and accessible to all that anyone would benefit from reading this book."
—Sgt. Noah Galloway (retired), Purple Heart recipient and author of Living with No Excuses: The Remarkable Rebirth of an American Soldier

"John Talty has captured the key takeaways of Nick Saban's leadership excellence, and what he presents works—IF YOU DO IT. Get this book for everyone on your leadership team. Go through it together, hold each other accountable, and exponentially grow your organization. Success leaves clues. Learn from Saban and Talty."
—Dave Anderson, president of LearnToLead and author of Intentional Mindset"

From the Publisher