Are you ready to RUM-BLE? It’s football season and while I admit to not being much of a sports fan, I love a great college coach.  I’m apologizing to my husband in advance, I’m not talking about Ohio State’s Urban Meyer.  While he was a great motivator… small sidebar here… Meyer got his first head coaching job at our alma mater Bowling Green State University. Today I’m sharing leadership lessons from the GOAT. (greatest of all time)

Nick Saban, the legendary coach of the University of Alabama football team, is one of the most successful college football coaches. With a remarkable career record of 206 wins and just 29 losses over his 17-year career there, his leadership style and winning mentality have left an indelible mark on the world of sports and leadership. He retired last year.  His YouTube video "Mediocrity or Greatness: You Decide" sheds light on a powerful principle that resonates far beyond the football field.

His message is clear: if you’re a leader, you must embrace excellence and avoid mediocrity at all costs.

1. Choosing Greatness Over Mediocrity

One of the most striking points Saban makes is the sharp divide between mediocrity and greatness. "Mediocre people don’t like high achievers, and high achievers don’t like mediocre people," he says. In a competitive environment like college football, there’s no room for complacency. Saban constantly asks himself who on the team isn't contributing to success and wonders, “What team members do I need to get off the bus?”

As a leader, this is a vital lesson. Mediocre people often drag down the team, not because they are incapable, but because they refuse to push themselves to reach their full potential. Do you want to be somebody an employer wants to get off the bus?  I know you don’t, or you wouldn’t be reading this.  If you want to build a winning team in any field—you must focus on surrounding yourself with individuals who are committed to greatness. High achievers demand more from themselves and inspire others to elevate their game.

This mindset doesn’t always make me popular, but my first boss in public television, James Baum, taught me a very important lesson.  Leaders aren’t running a popularity contest.  He told me, “We’re paid to get results and move the organization forward.”  That wasn’t easy for me to do at 31 but the principle has served me well for over two decades.

2. Focus on Serving Others

In his video, Saban emphasizes that leadership is about serving others, not just yourself. He stresses that “you are responsible and have to serve others. It can’t just be about you.” He went on to say, “Do you pray to be blessed, or do you ask to be a blessing?” This is a fundamental leadership principle that transcends football. In any successful organization, leaders prioritize the needs of the team, the organization, and the collective goal over their personal desires.

This mindset shift—from self-focused to service-oriented—is essential if you want to be a successful leader. When you focus on helping others grow and succeed, you build a culture of trust, collaboration, and mutual respect. Trust me it doesn’t happen overnight, but it will happen if you remain consistent.  Saban’s success is rooted in his ability to create a team that works as a cohesive unit, with everyone supporting each other to achieve a common goal.

3. The Goal is a Process, Not a Result

One of the most powerful lessons from Saban is his belief that greatness is a process, not a result. Many people get caught up in chasing immediate outcomes—winning the game, hitting quarterly targets, or achieving personal milestones. But Saban reminds us that true champions don’t just focus on the end result; they focus on the journey and the steps that lead to success.

If you want to achieve long-term success, it’s important to focus on the daily habits, strategies, and disciplines that drive progress. High achievers are not obsessed with short-term wins; they are committed to mastering the process that leads to those wins.

4. Buy Into the Team's Principles and Values

Saban makes it clear that success comes from trust, respect, and alignment with the team’s shared mission. If individual players—or employees—don’t believe in the values of the organization, they can’t fully contribute to its success.

Saban says, “You gotta serve others. Focus on the goal. Be a champion. Be positive. Buy into the principles and values of the organization. Trust and respect the people on your team.” This is crucial advice for any leader: great teams are built on a foundation of shared values and mutual respect. If you don’t trust or respect the people you work with, or if you don’t align with the mission, you’re setting yourself and your team up for failure.

The question remains: will you choose to be a high achiever, or will you settle for mediocrity? The choice is yours.