Invest In the Intangibles
Three Lessons From Legendary Coach Nick Saban for Evaluating Talent
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When people talk about Nick Saban, they mention championships. Titles. Success in the NFL and at the collegiate level.
But none of that explains his real genius or his secrets to building a contagious culture.
Saban did what few don’t — he looked beyond talent for something more.
As head coach of one of the most storied college football programs in history, he had access to the best talent in the country.
Yet, Saban knew something that most leaders miss — talent never ensures greatness.
Whether you’re building a football team, a business, or a family, it’s easy to get distracted by tangible things — looks, impressive résumés, stats, or raw skill.
Saban learned a lesson early on during his time with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Intangibles win.
If you're a leader, this mindset will change how you recruit, coach, lead, and grow the people around you.
In today’s YOU Not Me Letter, I will teach you Nick Saban’s three pillars for evaluating talent and explain how YOU Not Me leaders build greatness in everyone around them.
“And” or “But”
Saban taught his scouts and coaching staff to listen for two words when people describe a player.
Saban calls this the “And But Test.”1
It works in every field.
If someone says, “He’s smart, explosive, and a great teammate,” — green light.
But if they say, “He’s smart, explosive, but he skips workouts and doesn’t take feedback,” — red flag.
Think about hiring in the workplace. You might hear:
“She’s smart and collaborative.”
“He’s talented but hard to coach.”
“He performs and has a servant’s heart.”
“She delivers results but will create drama.”
Who would you bet on in the long term?
YOU Not Me leaders know that “and” people will deliver because they understand that talent without character creates liabilities in organizations, teams, and homes.
IQ with a side of ego means nothing. Performance with pride comes up empty.
People want trusted teammates, faithful friends, and promise-keeping partners.
That’s why every team member needs heart, humility, and a positive attitude as essential ingredients to create a successful culture.
“Buts” will cost you, no matter how good someone looks on paper.
“If you hire cattle, expect a mess in the barn.”
Process Over Outcome
Saban never let his players focus on trophies. He trained them to love the process.
His method was clear:
Define a clear goal.
Build a process to get there.
Have the discipline to execute it each day.
It sounds simple, but few people live this way. Most people want outcomes, and they want them now. They want glory without sacrifice.
That’s why Saban reminded his players to "fall in love with the work."
Most people have goals in life, whether silent or stated.
Some people create a process to achieve their goals.
Few people have the discipline to press on.
That’s why people give up. Achieving their outcome takes time, effort, and endurance, and they lack the discipline to stick to the process.
At some point in any journey, no matter the desired destination, things will get difficult.
Your circumstances will challenge you.
Life’s crucible will heat up.
That’s where it gets hard.
That’s when people quit.
In life, the same thing happens.
Leaders focus on hitting sales goals but ignore whether their team feels valued and has a repeatable, actionable process that they can execute.
Employees want promotions but loathe doing the little things to go above and beyond, even if it means staying 30 minutes past 5:00pm.
Spouses want a great marriage, but fail to serve each other every day when it’s hard and an inconvenience.
YOU Not Me organizations, teams, and families build people who embrace investing in the process over the prize, because they know that doing so will result in their greatest growth.
Look for Heart
The New England Patriots drafted players like Tom Brady, Matt Light, Matt Cassel, Stephen Gostkowski, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski who had less natural ability than other players on the board.
But, they had more heart, more discipline, and more buy-in to the process. In short, they had the intangibles.
Saban and Belichick believed that these kinds of players would grow into elite performers over time.
Turns out, they were right.
At Alabama, Saban’s recruiting process extended far beyond highlight reels and accolades.
His staff went what they called ‘seven-deep’ into recruits’ lives.
“They contacted friends, family, teachers, coaches—virtually anyone who has had an interaction with that player and shaped his development.”2
They want to know about the intangibles:
Is he on time?
Does he clean up after himself?
How does he respond when he’s not the star?
What kind of effort does he give when no one watches?
Why? Because when adversity and pressure hit, that’s who shows up—not the guy who gets praise for setting records and winning games.
Saban’s success endured for two decades.
He didn’t just recruit stars—he recruited people.
He didn’t chase outcomes—he coached the process.
He didn’t want players who need motivation—he chose the ones who had already bought in.
Now think about your own team—whether your company, family, or sports team.
When you get to know someone, whether for an interview or to deepen a relationship, what do you ask about?
Do you look at the tangible things like most people and ask about past performance and achievements?
Instead, look for the intangibles. Get to know the real person.
Ask them:
Tell me about the last time you failed—what did you learn?
What does "excellence" mean to you on a boring Tuesday?
How do you stay accountable when no one’s watching?
How do you serve others without expectations?
YOU Not Me leaders know: You can find talent and teach skills, but a pure heart outweighs them all.
Remember, look at the heart. Investigate the intangibles.
Find "and" people who love the process and have a pure heart. Then you have everything you need to create something amazing.
Yaeger, Don. "Looking for the Key to Team Excellence? Try Nick Saban's ‘And-Or-But’ Philosophy." Forbes, 17 Aug. 2017.
Benedict, Jeff. "Nick Saban and the Inner Workings of His Alabama Recruiting Machine." Bleacher Report, 2 Feb. 2015, https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2350958-nick-saban-and-the-inner-workings-of-his-alabama-recruiting-machine.