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What Are Morale, Pride, and Spirit?

Morale is a reflection of the attitude or mental condition of an individual or team. People with high morale are generally positive, optimistic, cooperative, and supportive of their team’s vision and mission. They have a can-do attitude, persistence, harmony, and a willingness and determination to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. They can quietly but with great confidence in themselves and their team go about the business of completing their tasks.

People with pride respect themselves and the other members of their team, delight in the team’s achievements, and believe that whatever they must face, they can collectively and successfully handle it. They are proud of their team. There is a justifiable belief by the team members in their personal worth, as well as that of the team. Pride also results in the members’ identifying with the team and what it represents. The team now helps to define them.

Spirit is an animating principle that reveals itself in the vigor, energy, vivacity, and courage of the team members. It is routinely seen in successful sports teams and in crowd reactions during sporting events. Spirit can be contagious, motivational, and inspirational. It can be generated by the team’s leader or members with encouraging words, hand clapping, backslapping, singing, shouting, and so on.

When morale, pride, and spirit are present within a team, productivity is high, relationships are strong, and it is actually fun to go to work. Without morale, pride, and spirit, the situation is very different. There will be dissatisfaction, lethargy, negativism, friction, and a lack of cooperation.

This book outlines techniques useful to groups of any size—from two people to an entire organization. These ideas can be implemented globally and in cross-cultural settings. They meet universal human needs and thus cross over all lines of race, gender, ethnicity, and age.

Why is it important for leaders to have the tools to build morale, pride, and spirit in the teams they lead? Teams that possess these characteristics will be able to multiply their energy, achievements, efficiency, and productivity. Not only will there be a positive effect on how members relate to one another, but there will also be tangible benefits for the organization. When the various teams in an organization have elevated morale, pride, and spirit, the following benefits can be realized:

• Satisfied customers

• Improved quality

• Increased productivity

• Lower operating costs

• Increased competitiveness

• Increased profits

• Improved safety

• Reduced waste of all types: material, time, human potential, and organizational potential

• Reduced absenteeism, tardiness, sick leave, turnover, recruiting costs, complaints, grievances, sabotage, and substance abuse