Throughout history, the battle cry has been used to rally troops to come together and defeat a great enemy. The same goes for battle cries in cinema and modern story telling.
The leader pulls it together, gives out a shout, and him and his team give the opposing forces a run for their money.
Image by Andrew Gould
The battle cry has been a powerful force. We’ve seen it time and again as armies and organizations have used the battle cry to bring their teams together.
The French used the battle cry “Pour le Roi et Pour la France” (“For the King and France”)
The United States Marines rally behind the battle cry of Oorah!
The Crusaders used the battle cry of Deus Vult.
Why Have A Battle Cry?
Looking to the past, we can see battle cries used throughout history. Whether it’s the Huns, World War 2 soldiers, or the Hussites in the Battle of Domažlice against the whole Holy Roman Empire army, battle cries have been a part of teams.
The Hussites used a battle cry to cause the attacking imperial units to retreat. The United States Marines use Oorah! to bring their teams together. So did the French with their battle cry.
So why should you and your organization have a battle cry? That’s easy to answer.
Creating a battle cry for your organization can give your team something to rally around. A simple phrase can quickly become a reminder of why they’re there and what they can accomplish.
What Is Your Battle Cry?
Many battle cries have been a rallying call to encourage the armies marching behind them. The battle cry was paramount to helping them move forward.
While your organization may not have the purpose of that of a military force, your organization still has a purpose and a team that needs motivation.
So we need to ask ourselves What is our battle cry? How can we employ a battle cry to encourage our teams?
That’s a question I can’t answer for you. The answer is one you need to come up with for yourself. Though I can give you some advice on creating your organizational battle cry.
Narrow your organization’s vision: Look at what your company stands for. See the long, drawn out vision statement? There’s a start to your battle cry.
Break down the convoluted statement into a simple 2 or 3 word phrase that can be used as a battle cry for your business
Look to the past: Have there been past victories that can be called upon to encourage camaraderie for the present? Sometimes our greatest encouragements come from the past.
See what you can call upon from the past to help you press on today.
Create an acronym: Your battle cry might be a longer phrase that’s been broken down into an acronym. Jim Collins coined the acronym BHAG for Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals.
Is there some mission in your organization that could be abbreviated to help with a battle cry? Give it a shot and see what you come up with.
Battle cries in organizations are important. They help keep your people focused and on mission. They encourage you to continue to move forward. They are their to remind you of what you’re doing and why.
Don’t think battle cries are just for the military. They’re not. You can employ battle cries in your organization and see great things happen.
Question: Do you have a battle cry for your organization? If so, let’s hear about it in the comment section below. If not, what could your battle cry be?
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.