We, us, our... lessons from Agincourt and Henry V

Photo of hand-illuminated script of Shakespeare's St Crispin's Day speech, from Henry V
by artist Fiona Graham-Flynn www.Tigon-Crafts.co.uk

Today is St Crispin's Day.

The 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, 25 October 1415.

The famous victory of 5,000 English over 20,000 French (the historical numbers vary, maybe 7,000 over 36,000). 

The heroes: the English archers, firing arrows from their longbows over the heads of their own protective infantry-line to the enemy. The French, with their clunky crossbows, were a perfect fixed target, stuck in narrow ground.

Ah, the abundance of Agincourt myths today

Is it true that the French threatened to cut off the two bow-stretching fingers of any captured archers, the long-distant source of the two-fingered gesture? 

Can we hear, across the centuries, thousands of archers jeeringly sticking up their two fingers, chanting like a football crowd?

"F*** off you Fre-eench!"

Is it true that Henry gave a rousing speech to his troops the night before battle and then insisted on silence so they could hear if the enemy was making a surprise attack?

Did Henry order the slaughter of French prisoners after the battle?

My favourite myth is in some of the finest writing in the English language. 

If Henry V has been immortalised as a hero it is partly because he had a top-notch speech writer, nearly 200 years later.

The St Crispin's Day speech* from Shakespeare's Henry V, Act IV sc iii, is about belonging, camaraderie, and all being in it together - death or glory.

*text in full below this blog - go on, say it out loud...

Here's a rousing recital from Jamie Parker at Shakespeare's Globe, and here for Kenneth Branagh's bravado.

At the beginning, it's a personal challenge - in the first person singular: 

"I..." "me..."

"I pray thee, wish not one man more"

As the language builds to a high-motivation crescendo, the voice is all in the collective:

"We... us... our..."

"But we in it shall be remembered- 

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers"

Any politicians, revolutionaries or business leaders... 

Looking for how to incite willingness to take risks for a common cause? 

Read this speech.

Top speech-writing lessons from the master:

• Use 'We, us, our' more than 'I, me, you'

• Own what is personal: but share ownership of the goal, the pride in achievement and the motivation to do it

• Invite people in, with a short clear statement of the challenge they're involved in

• Don't just keep repeating the corporate mantra! For heaven's sake... respond to what's immediately around you and empathise with those front line

• Don't soft-soap: if your troops risk losing their lives they know it, they'd like to know you know it

• Your troops' courage to go into battle regardless of risk comes partly from your demonstration of courage

• Respect the commitment of your people: don't ever, ever, take this for granted

• Straight-talk is worthy of trust

The bold unity of "We, us, our" shows up the lack of shared commitment implicit in "I, me, you".

In early July 2012 I wrote on a similar theme, commenting on a letter sent to employees by the then CEO of Barclays, Bob Diamond, shared in the public domain in various newspapers (The Independent, Telegraph, BBC news)

The letter was intended to re-motivate employees after news of the Libor rate-rigging scandal across the banking sector.

"No one is more sorry, disappointed and angry about these events than I am.I am sorry because we let down the people whose trust we rely on...I love Barclays, and I am proud of all of you..."

Hmm, rather more "I" than "We"? 

And as I was writing the article, the news broke that the CEO had resigned.

Ah. On reflection... 

One more rule from Shakespeare and Henry V

• Never make leadership just about your view or your approval. As leader give equal regard for those who choose to follow. 

Back to the speech, which concludes with a rousing call - inviting a shared-pride to be the envy of all.

"And gentlemen in England now-a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day."

Choice is a critical theme of this speech. 

The King is not commanding, but offering a straight choice: 
Join arms with us and be our brother; do not fight with us if you do not want to die with us. (Go home, we'll give you fair payment.)

Shakespeare is right on the money here. People will do great things - and the right things - because they want to, not because they have to.

If you're a leader worth following, you are more than just you - you represent everybody in the organisation. 

Shakespeare brilliantly picked up the Saints' day of 25 October. No big-star saint, but Crispin and Crispian, two brothers in a most unglamorous trade: the patron saints of cobblers, tanners and saddle-makers. 

Like the ordinary blokes who were Henry's archers, they are ennobled by this telling of history.

So on this day "the feast of Crispin Crispian", let’s remember that ordinary people will do extraordinary things because they feel part of something greater.

Belonging transcends status. 

That's the power of "We, us and Our".

Belonging Space helps leaders create a sense of belonging in their organisations.

www.belongingspace.com

info@belongingspace.com

Photo of hand-illuminated script of the speech by artist Fiona Graham-Flynn 

www.Tigon-Crafts.co.uk

From Henry V by William Shakespeare, Act IV sc iii

WESTMORELAND:

O that we now had here

But one ten thousand of those men in England

That do no work to-day!

KING:

What’s he that wishes so?

My cousin, Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;

If we are mark’d to die, we are enow

To do our country loss; and if to live,

The fewer men, the greater share of honour.

God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.

By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,

Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;

It yearns me not if men my garments wear;

Such outward things dwell not in my desires.

But if it be a sin to covet honour,

I am the most offending soul alive.

No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.

God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour

As one man more methinks would share from me

For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!

Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,

That he which hath no stomach to this fight,

Let him depart; his passport shall be made,

And crowns for convoy put into his purse;

We would not die in that man’s company

That fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is call’d the feast of Crispian

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,

Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,

And rouse him at the name of Crispian.

He that shall live this day, and see old age,

Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,

And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”

Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,

And say “These wounds I had on Crispin's day.”

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,

But he’ll remember, with advantages,

What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,

Familiar in his mouth as household words-

Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,

Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-

Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.

This story shall the good man teach his son;

And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remembered-

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition;

And gentlemen in England now-a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

Go on, read it aloud.  

How does your corporate mission statement sound now?

The importance of belonging in a zero-hours contract

Today's Belonging Space guest blogger is Katie Fenton, our intern, who brings the perspective of a current student and future employee to look at zero-hours contracts. She finds the belonging challenges are not as straightforward as they may seem.


Looking back on the debate surrounding zero-hours contracts, it left me wondering whether they were a blessing in disguise, or just an obvious maltreatment of staff who need the flexibility or just some sort of employment. 

To find a sense of belonging, our work needs to fit around the way we want to live our own lives. Zero-hours contracts allow students, parents, and those with complicated lives to be employed whilst not being tied down five days a week.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), 1/3 of people on zero-hours contracts want more hours work.  

My first reaction to this was that I expected the statistic to be higher, however, being a student myself I can understand all the benefits of this contract. Students have a lot of spare time, meaning that short notice work is not a problem and they can often manage without a steady income (baked beans for dinner again).

Yet it seem students may have a somewhat sweeter deal than others. It’s important to consider whether zero-hours contracts are actually as flexible as they first appear. When employers hire staff through the contract there is no guarantee of work and when they are needed it is often at short notice. Would this be ideal for someone who desperately needs to pay the rent next month? 

Although, surely having an irregular income is preferable to having no income whatsoever. An interesting article in The Guardian quotes John Cridland (CBI director-general) arguing

“The UK’s flexible job market has given us an employment rate that is the envy of other countries.” 

While some people may dislike the unpredictability surrounding zero-hours contracts, there is promise in the way it provides employment.

The ONS report 'Analysis of Employee Contracts that do not Guarantee a Minimum Number of Hours' (April 2014) acknowledges that zero-hours is interpreted in different ways so it is not straightforward. 

Their facts and figures show the types of people on zero-hours contracts and also how widespread these contracts are:

    

People Employed on a Zero Hours Contract (Main Job):	697,000
Average Number of Hours worked on zero hours contract:	25
Age of most employees on zero hours contracts:	Under 25/ Over 65

"Looking at the types of people employed on “zero-hours contracts”, the Labour Force Survey shows that they are more likely to be women, in full-time education or in young (16-24) or older (65 and over) age groups, perhaps reflecting a tendency to combine flexible working with education or working beyond state retirement age."  

Source: ONS

The ONS figures show less middle-aged people are working within a zero-hours contract. This suggests that the type of lifestyle this provides is not ideal for family life.  

It seems that a zero-hours contract is a friend to those with no pressing commitments or limitations on how much they can work, and a foe to people who need to organise their work life around a number of other responsibilities. 

The zero-hours contract is of course, a two-way deal. Employers face certain business risks when taking people on through these contracts. 

Will employees go the extra mile for a company that they casually work for? 
Will employees be somewhat disconnected while working?What is the impact on a wider sense of belonging?

Ultimately, all these potential issues need to be addressed before the contracts begin so that problems don’t arise for both the employees and employers.

An anonymous NHS worker, previously on a zero-hours contract, reveals how this partnership can break down. She wrote a blog published by The Guardian, which gives an insightful view of how she was affected by the contract. 

She was told that a quarterly meeting was “not really for people like [her]” and was then assured that she was still valued.

A sense of team collaboration and appreciation is often at the core of how people want to feel at work. Employees should not be outsiders, but the nature of zero-hour contracts can very easily push employees to the outskirts of the business.
It's a big belonging challenge.

If zero-hours contracts are to remain beneficial and integrated successfully within the society, employers will need to adapt to the unstable issues surrounding the contracts. Whilst we want to have flexibility within our work, we also need to feel secure. 

This sense of security is not always provided by the fluctuating hours and pay of the zero hours contract, but a sense of belonging within the business can definitely work to transform this. 

Katie Fenton is an undergraduate reading English at Lancaster University, about to enter her final year.

Katie will be writing more guest blogs for Belonging Space over the summer.

Belonging Space helps organisations create a sense of belonging.

It sounds simple but the challenges can be complex. 

We help make it easy.

www.belongingspace.com

info@belongingspace.com

Belonging and the challenge of remote-working (live from the British Museum)

Work doesn't only happen at somewhere called work.

Many millions more people now work in remote or dispersed teams, hardly ever sharing an office together.

Today, with a bit of time for deep-thinking and writing, I'm experiencing one of the belonging challenges we help companies with: 

How to connect people working independently.

Here's my office this morning...

 and the view from my office...

Sitting writing at the British Museum - home to the symbols of belonging across thousands of years of human history - reminds me how important it is to nurture a sense of belonging in the 21st Century.

Keeping in touch is easy. But, as a colleague reminded me the other day

"As you build more people around you in the team, how will you build your own sense of belonging?"

We've seen some great examples of companies whose teams work across territory, disciplines and time zones. Technology is a great friend - all kinds of groovy ways to link up and chat.

What we've learned is the importance - still - of face-to-face contact. For many companies, the weekly catch-up has become a ritual of belonging.

As one tech-based company shared with me recently:

"We just use Skype or Google hangout, and find a time slot that we can all work around. It makes so much difference to see people, have a bit of that informal chat, as much as the organised stuff. 

We don't over-agenda it. We cover what we need and have a chance to talk as colleagues."

And investing in proper meet-ups has proved well worth-it. For ustwo, a global digital product studio that started in Shoreditch and now has offices in New York, Malmo and Sydney, the annual get-together is a must-have.

"It's absolutely vital that we meet up at least once a year. ALL of us. It's a really special time. All these great people from different places. 

It's intense. We talk a bit about the business, we do all kinds of activities together, we hang-out, we laugh. 

And then, in the busyness of our projects together, when we pick up the phone or Skype, it's all so much easier."

So I'm sitting (in the British Museum Members' Room, now that rain has stopped outdoor writing), reflecting on the benefits of being more connected - people here from all corners of the globe, wielding phones and iPads, linking up all kinds of conversations, sharing inspiration, making possibilities happen.

But as families gleefully grab their selfie sticks, rather than ask a stranger to take a quick photo, I wonder: is human kind in danger of become so cellular that we lose the art of nurturing communities?

As much as technology transforms our facility to connect, let's hang on to our human ability to do it well.

Creating a sense of belonging sounds simple but the challenges can be complex. 

We help make it easy.

www.belongingspace.com

info@belongingspace.com