In various wars during the Middle Ages, leaders would come to visit their troops and issue a rallying cry. Usually this was done immediately after the troops had sustained heavy losses. The leader wanted to keep morale high and encourage the troops.
After hearing their leader , the men would get a “second wind” and they would continue to fight. And they fought harder than before to glorify their king and be honored for their bravery.
But in the workplace, we don’t normally think of rallying the troops. That the team would just understand that they need to step up their output. Yet the need for rallying the troops remains ever present.
It’s one of those unheralded jobs of the leader. And this job is doubly important after your team has stumbled and erred. Because that is precisely the time when they are most likely to give up.
So…
How will you encourage your troops to give their all when they are down? What will you say to them that will “put the wind in their sails”?
What’s your rallying cry?
A New Source Code 