_Personal Pride._--Pride is another quality of human nature that is
very useful to the leader in controlling his men. Just as he guards
each individual's self-respect and cherishes it as the necessary
basis of that manly and intelligent response he expects them to give
to the demands of service, so he builds up their personal pride--in
themselves, in what they are doing, and in the organization. This
pride is largely established through seeking out cases of superior
accomplishment and commending them. Once fairly developed, pride
becomes an influence to which the leader may appeal successfully for
better conduct, better results, and for patient endurance of hardship.
He will not get it in a day, any more than he will get discipline
or morale. It comes from the performance of good work that has been
recognized as such, and rests in a justified feeling of ability and
worth. So do not expect to get it by simply announcing to your men that
they are the finest. Bring them to an honest belief in their worth
through your recognition of it by praising their good work, and by
making suitable remarks to outsiders which some of them may overhear.
Find something in which they excel, and brag about it moderately. If
possible make an occasion to show their ability publicly. If your
outfit can once get a reputation for excellence, it matters little for
what, it will become more excellent--good men will seek to join it, its
personnel will thus improve, and it will continue to grow better.
_Pride in Organization._--Pride in the organization is a tremendous
influence for keeping men up to the mark. It makes them keep each other
up--and you begin to reap the rewards for having established it. You
see them developing the spirit of discipline you have hoped for, and
the co-operation in that teamwork which means so much. Every leader
should always strive to arouse this pride. While we may not prescribe
the exact steps for arousing it to fit the various conditions, your
ingenuity will suggest the ways if you will make practical use of your
knowledge that men take delight in doing things well and in having
their excellence recognized; that the excellence of the individual
should be reflected in the reputation of the team; that out of the
bodily and mental development which comes from consciously doing
things well, grow self-respect, laudable pride, and an assurance which
strengthens the individual character; and that these are the elements
of the organization spirit which you should seek to establish in your
men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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