Be The Best
Playing devils advocate, the Army is massively struggling to recruit. Focus groups have said the Army recruting symbol and slogan is off putting or not relevant. Why not try something new when what is there is clearly not working?
Forty years ago I was sent by the lady, who lives at the end of the Mall, for a year at UMIST Manchester. Along with Army, Navy and some overseas personnel, we were there to study for what became a Masters degree in Management Science.
Some of the lectures we received were pretty 'cringe worthy' and one series related to studying human behaviour, which included the wonderfully named 'personal self actualisation'. The tutor told us that we needed to seek our true inner selves to realise who we really were.
This was too much for one of our number, an Army bomb disposal Major with a Queen's Gallantry Medal. At this stage he said: "If you want to understand who you really are, try spending three months on the streets of Belfast". That brought the lecture to a fairly swift conclusion and ensured future lectures were a tad more realistic from our viewpoint.
O-D
Some of the lectures we received were pretty 'cringe worthy' and one series related to studying human behaviour, which included the wonderfully named 'personal self actualisation'. The tutor told us that we needed to seek our true inner selves to realise who we really were.
This was too much for one of our number, an Army bomb disposal Major with a Queen's Gallantry Medal. At this stage he said: "If you want to understand who you really are, try spending three months on the streets of Belfast". That brought the lecture to a fairly swift conclusion and ensured future lectures were a tad more realistic from our viewpoint.
O-D
"If you want to understand who you really are, try spending three months on the streets of Belfast"
Word of mouth from those within is important.....contented employees generally encourages good recruitment figures....and vice versa. I now run a small company.....and we have people 'knocking at our door' to join.
I think the reason the Army is struggling to recruit is spelt Capita. Sorry, Crapita.
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This story has really 'gripped' me.
Firstly, if the 'Market Researchers' really think that being proud of at least striving to be 'The Best' is so wrong, maybe we can transport them to the Front Line and place them with a unit that 'hopefully' will be good enough to survive contact with the enemy....if not, well, at least it was a diverse and inclusive bunch....
Secondly, if the Army has wasted a single penny on this pettyfogging, those responsible for corporate image should be sacked...and I include the very top echelons. Perhaps each should remember the moral courage and pride instilled during officer training, wonder why they have individually lost that over the years of 'brown-nosing' to get to the top, and either have a word with themselves or do the decent thing of stepping aside so proper leaders can take their places.
This highlighted for me all that is wrong with the Forces....Lions led by Donkeys, most of whom are keen to be knighted or further ennobled rather than to do what is right. Like promoting caricature of like must stop or we will fall into the moral abyss.
For the first time in my life, I feel a letter to the papers 'coming on'.....
Firstly, if the 'Market Researchers' really think that being proud of at least striving to be 'The Best' is so wrong, maybe we can transport them to the Front Line and place them with a unit that 'hopefully' will be good enough to survive contact with the enemy....if not, well, at least it was a diverse and inclusive bunch....
Secondly, if the Army has wasted a single penny on this pettyfogging, those responsible for corporate image should be sacked...and I include the very top echelons. Perhaps each should remember the moral courage and pride instilled during officer training, wonder why they have individually lost that over the years of 'brown-nosing' to get to the top, and either have a word with themselves or do the decent thing of stepping aside so proper leaders can take their places.
This highlighted for me all that is wrong with the Forces....Lions led by Donkeys, most of whom are keen to be knighted or further ennobled rather than to do what is right. Like promoting caricature of like must stop or we will fall into the moral abyss.
For the first time in my life, I feel a letter to the papers 'coming on'.....
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I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Jimlad, focus groups! Ever sat on one?
It may not have been typical but about 10 of us, we scribbled a few words on paper, shouted across the group, then the facilitator (FFS) wrote a few words or phrases on a flip chart.
From that a few key words emerged - big skies, empty roads, open spaces, potholes. (This was Lincolnshire). I suppose some PR firm made something of it for Łkk.
It may not have been typical but about 10 of us, we scribbled a few words on paper, shouted across the group, then the facilitator (FFS) wrote a few words or phrases on a flip chart.
From that a few key words emerged - big skies, empty roads, open spaces, potholes. (This was Lincolnshire). I suppose some PR firm made something of it for Łkk.
I think it is because many young people now see the Army as a rather ignoble career, as they have grown up seeing it losing pointless campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have a nephew who (in my day) would have been prime Army officer material - graduate, excellent rugby player, skilled equestrian, into mountaineering, skiing, travelling. Despite my best efforts he is not the slightest interested in a military career, and non of his contemporaries are either.
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Correct trim stab. It's not that the army/forces is ignoble perhaps, it's just that there are better things to do than fighting pointless wars for a lot of young people these days.
