means that the American unit has been overrun; it calls in every combat aircraft for support, and even though it kills some of their own soldiers but eliminating
most of the Vietnamese offensive force. The sign of Moore’s regulation are easy to see. He is thoughtfulness and
comfort with ambiguity and change, as described above.
3. Motivation
If there is one trait that virtually all effective leaders have, it is motivation. They are driven to achieve beyond expectations –their own and everyone else’s.
The first sign of people that have a high motivation in them is a passion for the work itself-such love to learn.
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Here, the writer sees Moore’s passion and propensity to pursue goals. He loves to learn to achieve the goals, which is
winning the battle see picture 2, 3, 4 enclosures. Moore is not only has a high motivation in himself to achieve the goals and
to get the better result in winning the battle, but he is also able to motivate other team members. See the dialogue between Moore and Snakeshit below.
Moore : Well, I got a problem, Snakeshit, and I think you’re the
solution.
Snakeshit : I’ve been called a lot of things, Colonel, never a solution.
Moore : You know what air cavalry really means? You fly into
hostile territory, out numbered, 10,000 miles from home. Sometimes the battle ground’s no bigger than a football
field. And if the choppers stop coming, we all get slaughtered. Now, I figure chopper pilots won’t fly for
strangers. So……… I’m Hal Moore.
Snakeshit : I know, sir. Why us?
Moore : Well you guys look like a shit, but your equipment is
immaculate. Yesterday was Sunday. You didn’t have to be
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Goleman, D. 1998 November-December. What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review.
training, but you were. You got pilots like Too Tall character. He’s way outside the limits of army regs. They
wanna fly with you for some reasons. I guess its cause they think you’re the best.
In the dialogue above, we can see when Moore asks Snakeshit to be a part of the air cavalry team Moore motivates him by saying that he is the solution of
Moore’s problem and even though they look like a shit, but their equipment is immaculate. As the result, Snakeshit joins Moore as a team.
After recruiting Snakeshit as a part of the air Cavalry team, Moore gathers the all unit in the formal meeting. Moore says to his men the vision they were
there; “We will ride into battle.” And Before riding into the battle, in a speech given by Moore, he also tells that the battle they’ll go is the valley of the shadow
of death.
Moore : “…We’re moving into the valley of the shadow of death, where
you will watch the back of the man next to you, as he will watch yours, and you won’t care what color he is or by what name he call
God. Let us understand the situation we’re going into the battle against a tough and determined enemy…”
Telling a vision is one of the ways to motivate the team. So, they can always remember what they were there for and could have their best effort and
preparation of what happen in the future. In the formal meeting, Moore also tells his men that he and Sergeant-
Major-Plumpley will always be with them in the battle.
Moore : Sergeant-Major-Plumpley and I came from the paratroopers
where the officer is always the first one out of the plane because to follow your instincts and to inspire your men by your example you
have to be with them where the metal meets the meat.
From his speech that he said, it is clear that he won’t leave his men in the middle of the battle. It becomes one of things that motivate all his men to
contribute their best in winning the battle. It is proven when brigade headquarters wants Moore to lift out on the first
chopper at dawn to return to Saigon for debriefing during the middle of the conflict.
Man : Colonel, brigade headquarters want you lifted out on the
first chopper at dawn. Moore
: Now, what idiot would keep ordering that in the middle of a goddamn battle?
Man : Gen. Westmoreland wants a briefing.
Moore : Give me the horn. I’m in a fight and I object to this order
to return to Saigon. Now, I will not leave my men. Is that clear? Out.
From the dialogue above, it can be seen that Moore objects the order to return to Saigon. He says that he will not leave his men. Those things could make
a motivation in the middle of the battle for all Moore’s men, because they feel unignored. It can be seen from one of Moore’s subordinates face when he hears
Moore objects the order to return to Saigon During training, a soldier intercepts radio transmissions. Moore identifies
the soldier as his radio operator
Moore : Did you tune in? Man : Ah, yes, sir.
Moore : Well, that’s fine. You’re my new radio operator. Man : I-I didn’t
Moore : You’ll be fine. You’ll work it out.
Moore identifies his soldier as his radio operator. He considers his subordinates of his individual skill. At first, he is not sure that he could, but then
Moore motivates him that he’ll be fine.
During training he also motivates his entire team by his two basic principles to govern ground combat.
Moore : Three strikes and you’re not out There is always one more thing
you can do. It is obvious, people with high motivation remain optimistic even when the
score is against them. This is what occurs too in the middle of the battle when Moore is being outnumbered and overrun, there was between 2,000-3,000 regular
enemy soldiers against just 400 American troops, Moore still optimist that they’ll win the battle see picture 13 enclosure. It is important to keep maintaining hope
to others team in the face of frustration, Moore need to remain optimistic in order to motivate other team members that they still could win the battle even though
they are being outnumbered. Still at during training Moore teaches his men teamwork, makes a Crazy
Horse, a hero of Indian Sioux Tribe, reference stating that every woman in the tribe was called “mother” and every elder called “grandfather. He also states,
“The tribe fought as a family. Take care of you men. Teach then to take care of one another. ‘Cause when this start, each other is all we’re gonna have.
Moore : When Crazy Horse was a baby: he nursed from the breast of
every woman in tribe. The Sioux raised the children that way. Every warrior called every woman in tribe “Mother”. Every older
warrior, they called him “grandfather”. Now, the point here is that they fought as a family. Take care of your men. Teach them to take
care each other ‘cause when this start, each other is all we’re gonna have.
The point that Moore tells in his speech below, before riding into the battle is also to unify team.
Moore : Look around you, in the 7
th
Cavalry, we got a Captain from Ukraine, another from Puerto Rico, we got Japanese, Chinese,
Blacks, Hispanics, Cherokee Indian, Jews and Gentiles, all American. Now here in the States some men in this unit may
experience discrimination because of race or creed, but for you and me now, all that is gone. We’re moving into the valley of the
shadow of death, where you will watch the back of the man next to you, as he will watch yours, and you won’t care what color he is or
by what name he calls God. Let us understand the situation we’re goin into battle against a tough and determined enemy. I can’t
promise you that I will bring you all home alive, but this I swear: When we go into battle, I will be the first one to set foot on the
field, and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. Dead, or alive, we all come home together. So, help me
God.”
From the two monologs above, it can be concluded that Moore motivates his man to contribute their best, without caring of the different race and creed.
It was said before, people use motivation to get results, and motivation requires a delicate balance of communication, structure, and incentives.
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See the dialogues below between Moore and his men in the middle of the battle.
Moore : Go over and reinforce that company On that ridge there Look
Jack : Yes, sir When people are giving detailed instructions – If you want a specific
result, give specific instructions, people will work better because they know exactly what they are expected, this is what exactly happened to Jack when he are
given instruction by Moore see picture 14, 15 enclosure. It still in the middle of the battle, Moore motivates his men to contributing
their best.
1.Moore : Hey, you’re doing a fine job, son.
Man : Don’t worry we gave them more than they gave us today.
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http:www.pickthebrain.comblog21-proven-motivation-tactics
Moore : Keep it up.
2.Moore : How you boys doin’?
Man : Fine, sir.
Moore : You keep doin’ what you’re doin’. We’ll be fine.
3. Moore : You men have done a hell of a job today, Lieutenant
