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

by Nick Saban, Brian Curtis, Thomas M. Disch

Book Overview

The winning philosophy for creating and inspiring success that will help you triumph at work and in life from renowned football coach Nick Saban--with a foreword by Bill Belichick

Excellence doesn't happen overnight. It comes from hard work, consistency, the drive to be the best, and a passion for what you do. Few understand this better than Nick Saban. With more than three decades of experience as a player and coach, Saban has worked alongside some of the game's legends and has seen firsthand how great leaders encourage greatness in others. In this candid and thoughtful guide, he shares his unique wisdom:

- Organization, Organization, Organization: Create an environment where everybody knows his or her responsibilities--and each is responsible to the entire group.
- Motivate to Dominate: Understand the psychology of teams and individuals, and use that knowledge to breed success.
- No Other Way than Right: Practice ethics and values--and demand the same from your team.
- Look in the Mirror: Maintain an understanding of who you are by knowing your strengths and your weaknesses.

How Good Do You Want to Be? is more than the story of how Nick Saban motivates his staff and players to excel--it is also the memoir of one of America's most successful coaches. Filled with instructive anecdotes and illuminated by never-before-told stories of his life and career, this is a book that challenges and inspires us all to be our best.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345500849
• ISBN13: 9780345500847
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Leadership Book

This is in my top five best books on leadership, including how to best inspire others. The principles Saban discusses apply not only to coaching, but to life. I recommend reading this book. He continually teaches "Get out of yourself and into the team." The only down side is it's not updated with him coaching at Alabama; but I suspect that will change one day soon.

This is the plan that works

Amazing that Nick Saban is such a great leader and will improve Alabama's misfortune. Nick will make Alabama the best again!

True life

Don't miss this book, great read for those wanting to better themselves in this world.

Good read for winners and non miami fans

Post below typical miami dolphin fans upset about losing your coach to a better coaching job.

Superb content. Lacks drama.

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 cha