Page 221 - The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership

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ii) Thoughts worth thinking • Teambuilding

‘You do not know me,I do not know you,but we have got to work

together.Therefore,we must understand each other,we must have confidence

in each other.I have only been here a few hours,but from what I have seen

and heard since I arrived,I am prepared to say here and now that I have

confidence in you.We will work together as a team.I believe that one of

the first duties is to create what I call atmosphere.I do not like the general
atmosphere I find here – it is an atmosphere of doubt,of looking back.All

that must cease.I want to impress upon everyone that the bad times are

over and it will be done.If anybody here thinks it cannot be done,let him

go at once.I do not want any doubters.It can be done and it will be done

beyond any possibility of doubt.’

Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery

Extract from speech to staff in taking over the Eighth Army
before the Battle of El Alamein

Chapter 9: Personal reminders and thoughts worth thinking 211