You can’t generate morale and teamwork through “morale activities” and “teambuilding exercises.” You have to act, adapt, and adjust in line with your objectives and mission on a day-to-day basis with strong leadership and effective, efficient management.

Morale is the will to victory. Whether you’re an individual, team, or organization, the following elements are critical to building and maintaining solid morale.

• A clear and compelling mission and deepset belief that you are helping others by bringing outstanding value.
• Passion for the work and the results you bring.
• A support system, including family, spouse, and close friends.
• The right tools, supplies, and material support to get the job done.
• Clear goals and understanding of higher level intent and plans.
• Training and coaching as needed to build skills and knowledge.
• Mentoring from someone who has been where you’ve been and achieved great things.
• A technical advisory team consisting of experts in their domains: e.g., accountant, financial advisor(s), IT and web support, marketing, etc.
• Business advisor(s) who give you honest feedback quickly and effectively.
• Celebrating and profiting from wins while learning from temporary setbacks.
• Knowing what you really want. In some cases, this can only come from the gritty world of action. You don’t know how you will react to something until you actually face it.
• Experiment and learn from trial and error. Feedback from acting generates a lot more knowledge and wisdom than sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

I’m never too busy to discuss your needs or those of anyone else you feel may benefit from meeting or talking to me. So feel free to contact me at any time!

Richard Martin is The Force Multiplier. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to radically improve performance, grow, and thrive in the face of rapid change, harsh competition, and increasing uncertainty.

© 2015 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.