![]() ![]() ![]() These statements were not a mere mantra, they were what he lived by and clearly his troops and fellow commanders knew it. Source: Defeat into Victory by Field Marshal Sir William Slim (Pan, 1956) p.208-209 Slim had three foundations of morale: Spiritual, Intellectual and Material and they read similar to Gallup’s Q12. The sustainability of his troops’ energy and drive was clearly a high priority and in his consciousness from his war room to his visits to the frontline. Time and time again he references morale as being a key factor in his decision making. Here’s a few lessons that resonated with me. A study of Slim’s strategies and approaches will be a great help to any leader in 2020. Whilst I knew Slim was held in high regard by his troops I knew very little about his leadership or his dire situation. In an effort to understand more deeply about his experience I read the book ‘Defeat into Victory’ by Field Marshall Viscount Slim who led the 14th Army, the so-called “forgotten army” in Burma. The deep scars of war meant that he would not speak about his experiences and when he died in 1974 there are only a couple of war stories that he had shared with my dad. VE day sparked a renewed interest in my grandfather's experience as a soldier in World War 2. Robert Fagg served for 4 years in the Burma campaign. If you want a lesson in how to lead in crisis, deal with a series of setbacks and how to collaborate for victory then I know someone who can help. ![]()
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