LEADERSHIP LIBRARY

Psychology for the Fighting Man

Committee of the National Research Counc

IN BRIEF

This leadership guide was developed in the World War II era to guide the development of troops. There’s a lot of material that’s specific to military life, but the explorations of what leadership behaviors are effective, what builds team morale, and why people commit to the mission are instructive for any leader.

Key Concepts

Morale Building

“Morale building is a primary task of leadership. Any leader trying to improve the morale of his unit will find these rules helpful:

Make each man feel he is needed by his unit, that his job in it is important.
Never let a man forget that he is a soldier and that a soldier of the Army of the United States is an important and respected person.
Make it very clear that the unit has its own
important function in winning the war.
Encourage the expression of pride in the achievements of the unit.
Give commendation and encouragement when it can sincerely and appropriately be given, for fair appreciation usually works better than condemnation.
Never belittle or humiliate a man in front of others… When rebuke is necessary, do it in private, and make clear that it is the act that is punished, not the man.
Keep idleness at a minimum, but make recreation possible.
Train each man in every useful task and action that actual combat will require, and teach him that these habits will reduce his fear when combat comes, as well as make him a trained and able fighter.
Let men work together in groups whenever possible, because the social relation increases effectiveness.
Let the soldier on isolated duty feel that he is an indispensable man, not a forgotten one.” (pp. 242-3)

Leadership qualities, ranked by soldiers

“Roughly, in the order of their association with good leadership in the minds of the enlisted men, are the following points:” (pp. 307-8)

“Ability. Competence comes first.”
“...interest in the welfare of the soldier.”
“Promptness in making decisions.”
“Good teacher or instructor.”
“‘Judgment,’ ‘common sense’ and the ability to get things done”
“...does not ‘boss you around when there is no good reason for it.’”
“The man who tell you when you have done a good job...”
“Physical strength and good build…”
“‘Good education,’ ‘sense of humor’ and ‘guts or courage’”
Impartiality
Industry
“gives orders in such a way that you know clearly what to do”

Quotables

“But an army had better be deaf than blind.” (p. 21)

“The Army does more learning than fighting, because it does a lot of learning without fighting, and no fighting without learning.” (p. 49)

“It is this human matériel that determines more than any other one thing whether an army will win or lose. Guns and chow are essential too, but, given equality of supply, victory goes to the better troops, troops composed of men who know their jobs and do them willingly and well, men with initiative to act by themselves, the trained troops which make up the seasoned army.” (p. 13)

“...soldiers need to understand men in order to understand themselves and their comrades, and officers must learn how to interpret and influence the conduct of those for whom they are responsible.” (p. 17)

“Loud noises are also distracting. You pay attention to a sudden internal racket or din; you have to. The enemy often takes advantage of this fact, so beware. ...Experienced combat soldiers know that they must usually ignore the great noises of planes and shells and keep their attention on the job of killing a more dangerous ground enemy.” (p. 106)

“Every man has interests, likes and dislikes. ...A man’s interests, for instance, usually determine what he will do with what he learns. Mere exposure to training never made a skilled soldier. It is the interested man who remembers and profits by his training and is ready to apply it to new situations.” (p. 151)

“A real bullet forms more habits much faster than a lecture about a bullet.” (p. 169)

“In general, reward is much more effective for learning than is punishment. Punishment excites resentment and tends to make the soldier anxious not to comply, if he can get away with carelessness or disobedience. Reward keeps his attention on the business at hand. Punishment tends to shift his attention from the task to his own troubles.” (p. 172)

“A man can run fast and long if death or the devil is behind him. He can fight hard for unbelievable lengths of time if there can be no retreat or if victory is in sight.” (p. 208)

“When a military leader calls a man by name and gives him a simple word of commendation for some task well performed, he is appealing to at least two or three natural incentives.” (p. 238)

“Social approval is a strong motive in human affairs, and in general praise is much more effective than blame.” (p. 238)

“If a man is to meet the sunrise with any sort of spirit for the new day, he must have sleep at night, sound, and undisturbed by anxious dreams within him or by vermin in his bed.” (p. 243)

“When the successful achievement means less to the individual than freedom from the strain of trying to attain it, any man will abandon the struggle. ‘Giving up’ is nature’s way of protecting the organism against too much pain.” (p. 262)

“Authority is not power.” (p. 302)

“It is often said that a good leader knows how to handle his men. Actually, however, it is not possible for any leader to handle men. It is himself that he handles. Then the men react to his deportment.” (p. 302)

“They do not necessarily want him to be a model of all the virtues…. What they do demand in him is unfailing loyalty to duty and to his men—and the same sort of respect and confidence that the leader expects to receive.” (p. 305)

“The relationship between men and officers...determines the fighting spirit of an army quite as much as the ability of the soldiers to take training does.” (p. 307)

“Death can be inflicted upon the bodies of the enemy, destruction upon property, but defeat is a conquest of the mind.” (p. 355)

“The soldier without hope is like a tank without gas.” (p. 356)