Law Of Attraction
If at such times you "fly off
the handle" you have no business to be in charge of men.
For men in anger say and do things that they almost invariably regret
afterward.
An officer should never apologize to his men; also an officer should
never be guilty of an act for which his sense of justice tells him he
should apologize.
Another element in gaining Moral Ascendency lies in the possession of enough physical vitality and endurance to withstand the hardships to which you and your men are subjected, and a dauntless spirit that enables you not only to accept them cheerfully but to minimize their magnitude. Make light of your troubles, belittle your trials and you will help vitally to build up within your organization an esprit whose value in time of stress cannot be measured.
Moral force is the third element in gaining Moral Ascendency. To exert moral force you must live clean; you must have sufficient brain power to see the right and the will to do right. Be an example to your men! An officer can be a power for good or a power for evil. Don't preach to them - that will be worse than useless. Live the kind of life you would have them lead, and you will be surprised to see the number that will imitate you.
A loud-mouthed, profane captain who is careless of his personal appearance will have a loud-mouthed, profane, dirty company. Remember what I tell you. Your company will be the reflection of yourself!
If you have a rotten company it will be because you are a rotten captain. Self-sacrifice is essential to leadership. You will give, give, all the time. You will give of yourself physically, for the longest hours, the hardest work and the greatest responsibility are the lot of the captain. He is the first man up in the morning and the last man in at night. He works while others sleep.
You will give of yourself mentally, in sympathy and appreciation for
the troubles of men in your charge. This one's mother has died, and
that one has lost all his savings in a bank failure. They may desire
help, but more than anything else they desire sympathy. Don't make
the mistake of turning such men down with the statement that you
have troubles of your own, for every time you do that you knock a
stone out of the foundation of your house.
Your men are your foundation, and your house of leadership will tumble about your ears unless it rests securely upon them. Finally, you will give of your own slender financial resources. You will frequently spend your own money to conserve the health and wellbeing of your men or to assist them when in trouble. Generally you get your money back.