How Good Do You Want to Be? : A Champion's Tips on How to Lead and Succeed at Work and in Life

Rating:
Summary: Superb content. Lacks drama.
Review: As a Patriots fan, I was depressed when Nick Saban became the Dolphins' new head coach because Saban is as similar a football coach to Bill Belichick as you will ever find until scientists perfect cloning. In his new book, Saban lays out his philosophy very clearly. His philosophy helps individuals take control of their lives, work well with others, etc. It also helps leaders build more team-oriented organizations. Everyone can benefit from this book, not just football fans:

"focus... on what it takes to get to [become a champion], and not on getting there," "[Players] encouraged one another and kept each other in line," "no selfishness," "we shared a purpose," "the opponent should never determine your level of competitive spirit," "anyone can be successful with the right attitude," "a road map... allows everyone... to know where you are headed," "what you need are players who have good ability, but who can reach their potential consistently... every time out," "be honest and candid and let the players know their prospects," "we have a vision for the organization and, more importantly, for the people," "create... a culture of expectations [so] everyone knows what to expect," etc. I could go on for many pages.

I know Saban's philosophy works because it helped Saban's LSU Tigers (consistent losers before Saban took over) win a share of the 2003 NCAA championship and also helped Belichick's Patriots win two of the past three Super Bowls. It's the same philosophy. I expected great similarities because Saban coordinated the defense of Belichick's Cleveland Browns in the early '90s when the two became closest of friends. But I was shocked reading Saban's book because almost every principle Saban advocates is presented in my book ("Management Secrets of the New England Patriots") as what I term a "success factor" underlying the success of Belichick's Patriots.

One of the few things in Saban's book that Belichick might disagree with is Saban's argument that "Not only should you not concern yourself with the score, you should also avoid setting the bar or establishing the benchmarks for success" (p. 58) because, he claims, it's more productive to "Stay focused on the next play to dominate [your opponent]" (p. 59). Belichick believes strongly in benchmarks: personal and team, short-term, medium-term, and long-term. And Belichick also wants his players to play to the score. If they have a lead late in the game, he wants them to stay in-bounds to run down the clock, for example. I'm not sure Belichick and Saban disagree as much on this as Saban's book suggests. One of Saban's running themes is the importance of focusing on the minute-by-minute process rather than the long-term goal (national championship, winning the game, etc.). Belichick certainly preaches this too.

The principles in this book are valuable and clearly explained. My only disappointment is that the book lacks drama. The opening chapter ("Part 1") is a tedious list of plays from LSU's championship season. I didn't know the players or care about them, so I nearly fell asleep. This material could have been fun had it been integrated into the rest of the book to illustrate particular principles.

Aside from Saban's stellar ideas, the book's highlights are occasional colorful examples, many involving his dad. To illustrate "Disappointment is a part of life," he cites his dad saying, "Be like the grass--the more manure they throw on you, the stronger you get." My favorite part is actually his father's story (36-39). Like Belichick, Saban received a brilliant education from his father, in both football and life: "Invest your time, don't spend it." "It's not just about the results. It's about perfect execution." "You reap what you sow." Someone could write a great book about the fathers of great football coaches.

Three stars for writing. Seven stars for content. Averages to 5 stars!