Maintaining that collective spirit
In 1913, Webster's Dictionary defined morale thus: "The moral condition, or the condition in other respects, so far as it is affected by, or dependent upon, moral considerations, such as zeal, spirit, hope, and confidence; mental state, as of a body of men, an army, and the like." The definition hasn't become any more precise over time, because this "spirit" is still an intangible that is dependent on many interacting variables.
Instructions
1. Ensure the basic welfare of the troops. The old saying was, "Don't mess with the troops' meals, mail or money." Constant attention to the basic physical and psychic needs of troops is one of the main tasks of non-commissioned officers, the stratum of leadership in most direct and constant contact with the troops. Add to the 3 M's that the formation of cliques, especially cliques favored by leadership, is a major divisive influence in a military organization, because it undermines the essential sense of belonging for those who are not "in." High morale is based on a shared sense of cohesion.
2. Train troops thoroughly in their individual and collective tasks. Troops are subjected to hardship and austerity, and the most effective means of gaining acceptance of hardship is a sense of mastery over skills. This is as true in military organizations as it is on sports teams, and for the same reasons.
3. Lead by example. Troops can obey leaders at the same time they systematically undermine them by malingering, evading and even sabotaging leaders for whom they have no respect. There is no greater resentment among troops than that directed at a lazy or incompetent leader. In good units, the leaders stand in the rain with their own troops, do every hard thing the troops do, and stand last in the chow line. Troops willingly and enthusiastically obey even the harshest leaders, if they perceive that the leader shares their hardship without complaint.
4. Assign missions that are intelligible and consistent with prior values. This is an issue that undermines direct leadership more than any other. Examples abound from Iraq and Afghanistan, and as far back as Vietnam, of troops who no longer "believe in" what they are doing. First-line leadership can do little to change missions, and are obligated to carry out the missions they receive. If troops have integrity and morality preached at them, then encounter situations in operations that are clearly unethical or immoral, morale will disintegrate very quickly, and military organizations can quickly devolve into gangs of armed thugs.
5. Succeed in your missions. This is, again, problematic for first-line leadership, which does not decide what the missions are, but is obliged simply to carry them out. Missions that are unclear, such as "create stability," are recipes for failure, because there is no discern able action or series of actions that can define compliance with such directives. A mission like "secure that bridge," on the other hand, has a discernible standard for success, and this clarity is essential to the long-term morale of troops.
Tags: military organizations, with troops