I feel like you all are getting to know me a little better through this blog. This week’s tidbit is that I am a very proud alumnus of the University of Alabama–very proud of my education and the wonderful strides the university has taken to establish itself as a premier educational institution. But–you guessed it–today I am proudest of the latest notch in the belt that is the Alabama football dynasty. They won their third national title in four years a few weeks back, and their 15t^h of all time. And while that last number might be debated, what’s not debatable is their place in football history.

How can we relate that success to a parking program?

Alabama football coach Nick Saban’s approach to achieving success can provide you a roadmap to improving your day-to-day operations and implementing your own successful dynasty. “The Process,” which is Saban’s approach to building a program, focuses on small details rather than the end goals, and the primary objective is for every member of the organization to improve the tasks they handle so it’s inevitable that the program is a champion. Consider some quotes about his process:

• “Eliminate the clutter and all the things that are going on outside and focus on the things that you can control with how you go about and take care of your business.”
• “We’re not going to talk about what we’re going to accomplish. We’re going to talk about how we’re going to do it.”
• “Success doesn’t come from pie-in-the-sky thinking. It’s the result of consciously doing something each day that will add to your overall excellence.”
• “You can’t get from A to Z by passing up B.”

It’s not rocket science. Saban focuses on nutrition, training, education, fundamentals, and player development as much as game planning for the next opponent. Perfection in every facet is possible because of the daily focus on details. In other words, stop worrying about the big picture success, get down in the weeds, and find a way to make your people, your program, and your community better by focusing on the little things and making more aspects of your program shine.

Judging by the Alabama and Notre Dame parking program comparison in the January issue of The Parking Professional, it appears The Process has extended itself to Alabama Parking Services as well. When The Process is rolling, no one can stop it. ROLL TIDE!