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| 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...
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..."
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.)
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?
