Introduction: Morale is defined as "a sense of common purpose or a degree of dedication to a common task regarded as characteristic of or dominant in a particular group or organization".
Morale – Policy Letter 16 April 1970 from L. Ron Hubbard
Morale is defined as "a sense of common purpose or a degree of dedication to a common task regarded as characteristic of or dominant in a particular group or organization". Also defined as "A confident, resolute, willing, often self-sacrificing and courageous attitude of an individual to the function or tasks demanded or expected of him by a group of which he is a part that is based upon such factors as pride in achievement and aims of the group, faith in its leadership and ultimate success, a sense of fruitful personal participation in its work and a devotion and loyalty to other members of the group". Also "a state of well-being and buoyancy based upon such factors as physical or mental well-being, a sense of purpose and usefulness and confidence in the future."
Morale in a military sense applies to the whole group as in "Esprit de Corps" (spirit of the group).
However, a group's morale is after all the additive result of the morale of each individual member.
When one speaks of "bad morale" one can mean an individual's bad morale or that of a whole group.
By caring for the morale of each individual one can raise the morale of the whole
group.
By working on group morale one can also change the morale of the individuals in the
group.
Successes tend to increase morale. Failures tend to decrease morale. Morale is subject to propaganda attacks entering false data into a group.
Sound morale is best built by Reality. The restricting of unsavory news can injure morale by throwing out the Reality factor.
Similarly false validation can injure group morale as the Reality factor is corrupted.
The "expertise" of military groups in "handling morale" is to a marked degree worthless wherever it violates Reality factors.
A severe or savage experience does not necessarily destroy group morale. I have observed that there was no group at all much less morale in combat units before they had a harsh experience in common. The highest morale groups in the world have been those whose common lot was harsh mutual experience. (US Marines, the Foreign Legion, etc.)
Morale is not a sweetness and light proposition. Hand holding and sympathy can destroy morale if it also lessens group solidarity or injures the belief in the group's leadership.
Reality is the vital factor in all morale problems.
Six months or even a year before an operational or functional catastrophe one could have detected out-morale in certain areas. Such out-morale areas, continuing, have preceded a general upset or severe loss for the whole group.
If small zones of out-morale are noticed and repaired when they occur, the group can be saved future upsets of magnitude. The repair of individual morale is accomplishable in the field of Scientology tech and Ethics.
The handling of group morale is done in the area of accomplishing objectives along the agreed upon group purpose line and in the sphere of group social relations.
If any organization has a chaplain with a full grasp of the subject of morale, its definitions and technology and if he works factually and successfully, group catastrophes would be averted.
Lack of this function can be very destructive to a group. Successful accomplishment of it can be the source of group success.
Skill in Scientology Tech, group organizational functions and Public Relations are the requisites of a good chaplain.
L. Ron Hubbard