Nick Saban, legendary Head Football Coach of the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide team, gave an inspiring pep talk to dealers in his keynote address at the NADA Show 2018 in Las Vegas.
The man often cited among the best college football coaches in history, told dealers about the importance of having a plan, being in the moment, taking ownership and holding yourself to a higher standard.
Saban led the Alabama Crimson Tide to a dramatic come from behind victory in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, which tied the record for most coaching national championship titles with six. Saban was the first coach in college football history to win national championships with two different schools, and was named NFL.com’s “Best Head Coach in College Football.”
Saban relayed his experience as both a coach — and as a car dealer — having recently invested in Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Alabama and Tennessee.
Saban explained the importance of ensuring your organization has the mindset that will allow people to succeed at a high level.
“It all starts with a vision of what you want to accomplish,” he said, noting that this must be followed by a plan and a process (what do I have to do to accomplish the goal for the vision that I have?), and then having the discipline to execute these goals on a daily basis. As it happens, most people struggle with that last part, says Saban.
“When your alarm goes off in the morning, you make this choice or a decision: I don’t feel like getting up today, I don’t feel like going to work, I don’t feel like studying — whatever it is, but you know you’re supposed to do it. So are you going to do it or not?,” said Saban.
“Everyone has to cross this bridge between feeling and choice in your organization. It sounds simple but it’s not, because everyone has some circumstance in their life that they can make a justification for not doing what’s right.”
Saban says it’s about holding oneself to a higher level — a higher standard. It’s about giving it your all when doing a task. And when a goal has been met, you are able to set a new goal rather halting your progress because the first one has been accomplished.
He also says organizations have to motivate people. “I don’t think you can motivate the people in your organization to do the things that you want to accomplish if they can’t see how it benefits them.” Once motivated, people need to learn to take ownership — but that can only be done once the organization defines the expectation that they have for them.
Saban concluded the presentation with a discussion about team work: how bosses and their employees need to work together and learn to be grateful of each other’s help to create a space for achieving success.
The NADA Show 2018 runs from March 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in Nevada.
