Michigan State University Head Hockey Coach Adam Nightingale Headlines Zeigler University Guest Speaker Series
Michigan State University Head Hockey Coach Adam NightingaleÂ
Headlines Zeigler University Guest Speaker SeriesÂ
The Zeigler University Guest Speaker Series welcomed Michigan State University Head Hockey Coach Adam Nightingale today, Wednesday, September 20, 2023 as its latest celebrity guest speaker. During a passionate speech Nightingale summarized what he learned throughout his career in his 6 Principles of Leading.Â
Kalamazoo, Mich. (September 20, 2023) - Zeigler Auto Group welcomed MSU Head Hockey Coach Adam Nightingale as its latest celebrity presenter for its Zeigler University Guest Speaker Series. Zeigler's highly successful and long-running Zeigler University Guest Speaker Series invites entrepreneurs, athletes, innovators and leaders across different industries to share their stories and points of view with the Zeigler team.
During his presentation, the celebrated coach spoke about his 6 Principles of Leading, which summarized what he learned during his career.
The first principle was to "know your people and show them you care." In order to be the best leader you can be it's important to get to know who you are leading. First as people who have families, dreams, and reasons to be where they are at the moment. Showing your team you care allows you to coach them more effectively by connecting with them on a deeper level.Â
His second principle was to "see the best in people even when they didn't see the best in themselves." So many times people can get stuck on their own ideas of who they are especially in lower points that involve failure that they may not be able to see the champion within themselves. It's important to highlight the best in people and give your team the tools to not only see the best in themselves but to make it a reality.
"Be great wherever you're at and where your feet are."Â
Coach Adam Nightingale
In order to do all of these things, it's important to "be genuine in your role," which was his third leading principle. There is no faking connection and care for someone so you must invest in the team in a real way. Only then can you really "unify the team," which is in of itself a leading principle that is pivotal to winning and leading efficiently. With this fourth principle, must come a fifth which was being able to provide "honest feedback" as a leader.Â
There was no way to know your team and show them you care without providing them with honest feedback for them to grow. This is especially true when it comes to making sure you see the best in them, even when they cannot see it within themselves.Â
"We love providing our team opportunities to learn professionally and personally from exceptional individuals! Coach Nightingale was a dynamic speaker who added a ton value to our audience. I was impressed with his humble leadership style and culture he has built for MSU Hockey!"Â
Mike Van Ryn, Director of Talent Development
Finally, Coach Nightingale pointed out that as all of these principles built upon each other, the sixth and final one was just as important, and that was "no special treatment." Making sure the team was unified by giving everyone the same treatment was necessary in establishing standards and boundaries for the team to thrive.Â
About Zeigler UniversityÂ
Zeigler University is an internal leadership and development program within the Zeigler Automotive Group organization dedicated to attracting, training, and retaining the best talent in the industry.
The program includes one-on-one mentoring, strategic recruiting; and programs such as the Zeigler University Speaker Series which focuses on bringing in entrepreneurs, athletes, innovators, and leaders across different industries, to share their stories and points of view with the Zeigler team. Past celebrity guest speaker appearances include Grant Cardone, Bill Rancic, PJ Fleck, and more.
About Zeigler Auto Group
Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 84 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers.
Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company.
The Kalamazoo-based dealer group also owns and operates Zeigler Pre-Owned of Chicago, three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.
Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,500 people, ranking among the top 1% of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2022.
The family-owned and operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Michigan. Besides these prestigious accolades, Zeigler is also one of Glassdoor's 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. for 2023, and among Glassdoor's top 10 U.S. companies for work-life balance.
RETURN TO NEWSROOM