Alabama's Nick Saban vs. LSU's Les Miles: Winning Through Fear and Love

To paraphrase Machiavelli: effective leadership is accomplished through fear rather than love. 

In college football, two types of coaches stand out. 

One is the harsh disciplinarian, who explodes with uncontrolled anger when a block is missed or a when coverage lane is busted but is ready to give an “atta boy" when a player deserves it.

The second is the analytical critic that exuberantly celebrates a good play but confronts a player after a blown assignment to determine what went wrong and then suggests corrective measures on the sideline.

Alabama’s Nick Saban and LSU’s Les Miles are evocative of these sharply contrasting styles.

In addressing the question of whether it is better to be loved or feared, a Wikipedia entry explains that according to Machiavelli, "men worry less about doing an injury to one who makes himself loved than to one who makes himself feared." 

A famous football strategist disagrees with Machiavelli:

In the long run, fear does not pay.  For the most part, I try not to use fear as a motivator.  Not only does it imply a negative approach, but it also causes the players to play as to avoid failure, which causes anxiety and doesn’t enhance performance. [ed. note: citation at end.]

The coach concludes that, “(f)ear kills passion.”

This dichotomy illustrates Saban and Miles's different leadership styles—fear and love, respectively.  The result is an Alabama team that is incredibly disciplined and organized and an LSU marked by disciplinary discord and braggadocio. 

Compare Saban’s “football is a process” and the stern methodical play of a Trent Richardson to the “Mad Hatter” eating stadium grass and players called “Honey Badger” and “Gummy Bear.”

A simple internet search for Saban with the terms “mad,” “screaming” or “anger” returns photos and video of Saban excoriating his players, slamming his headphones and castigating the referees. 

The exact same search for Miles yields only his now-famous “Have a good day speech.”   

In football, a coach has to bring out the best in each athlete using whatever motivational tools are at his disposal. 

The question is not which man would make the best house guest or friend.  The question is which style, fear or love, more consistently delivers victory and exceptional play. 

It should be noted that these are not literal concepts of deadly fear or personal devotion.  Rather, they are coaching styles that exist on opposite ends of a spectrum.

Saban's treatment of the media is indicative of his style.  According to Sports Illustrated writer Stewart Mandel, writing at the start of the Saban era at Alabama, "almost no one outside of the program will be given access to his inner-sanctum (and the few that [are] will presumably be too petrified of the guy to cross him).”  

According to Mandel, “Nick Saban is every bit the jerk he's made out to be—and that [is] exactly what the doctor ordered for the Alabama football program.” 

For example, in ESPN’s “Training Days” documentary, Saban is openly proud of an intimidating feature in his personal office.  (Skip to the five-minute mark).  Without moving from behind his desk, the coach can press a button to automatically close the door behind a visitor. 

Miles, on the other hand, has calm demeanor and can sometimes appear to be aloof.  One minute his team is commanding the field.  In the next, his clock management creates utter bedlam.  

Dubbed the “Mad Hatter,” for his quirky habits (eating stadium grass) and go-for-broke decisions, Miles' coaching drifts somewhere between chaos theory and Mr. Magoo.

He does not motivate his players through fear.  Even when his players make idiotic decisions, he does not scream or try to shout them down.  In the 2011 regular season game against Alabama, Miles conspicuously goofed off with kicker Drew Alleman immediately before Alleman took the field and hit a game-winning field goal.

As ESPN writer Wright Thompson explains, "[t]here are many ways to win at football: with fear, with tension, with a corporate approach. Miles wins with laughter, and some days damned if it doesn't seem like he wins because of it.”

Saban uses psychological tools to motivate his players and staff.  His every word is deliberate.  He continuously repeats the mantra that football is a process, not one particular game.

Miles can be deliberate as well.  Pigskin public relations experts, Saban and Miles are always looking for some tip, comment or image to use to illuminate some point for the media, their staff, the fans and especially their players.  As a habit, they rarely speak off-the-cuff.

All of this is not to say that Miles never screams to encourage his players.  Moreover, Saban's aggressive style does not imply he does not care for his players.  However, the contrast between Miles and Saban's demeanor's does illustrate two drastically different motivating methods: love and fear.

History will judge which style is more effective based on which coach puts together more consistent seasons and brings home more conference and national titles.

No one single game, no matter how important, can determine over the long haul whether fear or love is the better method of coaching.  The impact Nick Saban and Les Miles have on their players will be revealed over the long term.

Oh, and by the way, that author who argued that leadership through fear “kills passion” was, ironically, Alabama’s Nick Saban.