Humor in Uniform : How to “Motivate” – Military Style

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MILITARY MOTIVATION THEORY

MUSINGS By VETERAN VIKRAM KARVE

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MILITARY MOTIVATION THEORY — In a Nutshell

Spoof By Vikram Karve

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NB:

The generic term “Military” includes all three Armed Forces — Army, Navy and Air Force.

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PART 1

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MOTIVATION THEORIES

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If you have studied “Management” — you will be aware of various “Motivation Theories” which you can use to “motivate” employees working in the civilian industry/corporate sector/offices.

A few of these “Employee Motivation Theories” which I have heard of are listed below:

1. Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Theory
2. ERG Motivation Theory Alderfer
3. McClelland Achievement and Acquired Needs Theory
4. Stacey Adams Equity Theory
5. Herzberg Hygiene Factors and Motivators Theory
6. Vroom Expectancy Motivation Theory
7. Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model

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If you surf the internet — you will find a deluge of information of “motivation” and “motivation theories”.

Ostensibly — most people think that these same civilian motivation theories are applicable to the military as well.

That is what was told to me at the numerous “Defence Management” courses I attended from time to time as a part of my “Officer-ship Training”.

However — the motivation style that I observed during my long military career — in the Navy — was totally different from the well-known motivation theories taught in management courses.

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In the Military — FEAR is used as the prime motivator.

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Yes — the military believes that:–

“Fear” is the greatest and best Motivator.

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PART 2

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“FEAR” IS THE BEST MOTIVATOR

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Dear Reader:

The Military believes that:

“Fear is the greatest and best Motivator”.

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In fact — Military Law and Rules/Regulations have been framed in such a way as to inspire fear in the hearts of those subject to these laws/rules/regulations.

You don’t believe me…?

Just read ‘The Navy Act, 1957’

Most Chapters/Sections of this Act are devoted to discipline, punishments, court-martial etc.

By chance — if Navy aspirants read ‘The Navy Act’ — they may think twice before signing up.

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(To be fair to the Navy — I remember that it was mentioned in our appointment letter that we should obtain a copy of The Navy Act, 1957 — and we were advised to read it to familiarize ourselves about the Navy before joining — they had even given details of Law Book Stores where it would be available)

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Well — I am not familiar with Army and Air Force Acts, Rules, Regulations etc. — but I can guess — that just like Navy Act and Regulations — these military regulations have been designed to inspire fear — because — probably — the Military believes that:

“Fear is the Key to Discipline”.

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So — FEAR is used as the ‘Key Motivator’.

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PART 3

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“FEAR” MOTIVATION

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As we discussed earlier:

In the Military — FEAR is used as the ‘Prime Motivator’.

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The Rules/Regulations ensure that a military officer is permanently under the fear of “disciplinary action” — from the day he joins the military — till he retires from service and becomes a civilian again.

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However — there are other types of “fears” employed to “motivate” you at various stages of your military career.

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FEAR OF PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT

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A newly recruited Cadet is “motivated” by the “fear of physical punishment”.

Any “mistake” committed by a cadet is “rewarded” by various kinds of physical and corporal punishments.

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CAREER FEAR

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Once a cadet passes out of the training academy and becomes an officer — he enjoys a relatively good stress-free life — till he approaches the “promotion zone” for select rank.

As he spends these crucial years of his military career — doing “criteria appointments and courses” — the officer is overcome by “career fear”.

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SUPERSESSION FEAR

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Now — “fear of supersession” becomes the main motivator.

Suppose the officer gets promoted — and remains in the “rat race” — this “fear of supersession” will continue to “motivate” him — till such time he finally gets passed over for promotion.

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Once an officer is superseded and has been passed over for promotion — the “fear of supersession” no longer works a “motivator” for him.

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TRANSFER/POSTING FEAR

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Now — after supersession — the superseded officer can be “motivated” by the “fear of transfer” or “posting fear”.

This last “motivator” (“fear of transfer”) can be used effectively to “motivate” the officer till the last day until the officer finally retires from service.

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PART 4

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FEARLESS “SELF ACTUALIZED” OFFICERS

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Of course — there are some self-actualized “mavericks” who are beyond motivation.

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As Cadets — they are willing to undergo any amount of physical hardships.

These tough guys are not afraid of punishments — and they are not bothered about restrictions and relegations.

So — “fear of physical punishment” does not work as a “motivator” for these mavericks.

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Later — as Officers — they don’t care two hoots about promotion and posting.

Yes — I have seen officers who are not bothered about promotion.

And — they are prepared to be transferred anywhere on posting.

So — “fear of supersession” and “fear of transfer” do not work as “motivators” for these “self-actualized” officers.

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PART 5

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CONCLUSION

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These “self-actualized” officers are not vulnerable to the Military Motivation Theory based on “Fear” as the prime motivator.

These “fearless” individuals are beyond “motivation” — they don’t give a tinker’s damn.

It is these self-actualized “mavericks” who are truly happy officers — who genuinely enjoy every moment of their military life — starting from their cadet life in the academy — right until their retirement from military service.

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VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
3. E&OE

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

Link to my source blog posts in my Blog Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2017/06/how-to-motivate-military-style.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2016/11/humor-in-uniform-lick-and-kick-human.html

This is a revised re-post of my article “MILITARY MOTIVATION” written by me Vikram Karve 9 years ago in 2015 and posted by me Vikram Karve at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/11/military-motivation-in-nutshell.htmland http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/03/humor-in-uniform-military-motivation.htmland https://karve.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/military-wisdom-how-to-motivate-people/ andhttp://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/10/humor-in-uniform-motivation-military.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2016/11/humor-in-uniform-lick-and-kick-human.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2017/05/human-resource-hr-management-contrarian.html and https://karve.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/military-style-motivation-how-to-motivate-people-part-2/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2019/12/27/how-to-motivate-military-style-motivation/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2019/04/24/how-to-motivate-military-style/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/military-style-motivation-how-to-motivate-people-part-2/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2021/01/28/humor-in-uniform-human-resource-hr-management-a-contrarian-approach/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/humor-in-uniform-how-to-motivate-military-motivation-theory/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2022/02/09/humor-in-uniform-military-motivation-theory/ and https://vikramkarve.medium.com/how-to-motivate-military-style-befdc031f8dd etc.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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Fear of Praise or Praising – PRAISOPHOBIA

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: PRAISOPHOBIA.

Click the link above to read my original post on PRAISOPHOBIA

The article is also posted below for your convenience:

Link to original post in my creative writing journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/03/praisophobia.html

PRAISOPHOBIA

(Not to be confused with Prosophobia – the fear of progress)

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I have coined a new term – “PRAISOPHOBIA”

Praisophobia is the Fear of Praise.

Praisophobia is the fear that if you praise someone then the person’s behaviour may change for the worse (or if you praise some thing then something adverse may happen).

Let me give you an example.

Twenty years ago, if you asked my wife what was the worst thing she did not like about me, she would unhesitatingly say that she hated my drinking habit.

Yes, I must confess that I indeed loved to drink.

I had my first drink after I joined the Navy in the 1970’s and I started enjoying drinking alcohol in earnest on my first ship where the wardroom bar was well stocked with the choicest varieties of alcoholic beverages – wines, spirits, liquors, liqueurs, beers – you name it and the drink was available. And drinking was quite affordable since the booze was duty free.

I sampled and tasted everything and after experiencing all varieties and types of alcoholic drinks I discovered that I liked two brands: a Blended Scotch Whisky called Chivas Regal (which I drank on board) and an Indian Dark Rum called Hercules XXX Rum (which I drank ashore). 

(We did not get duty-free liquor ashore and after developing a taste for Scotch Whisky I found the Indian Whiskies of those days quite rough, whereas Indian Dark Rum was probably the best in the world – the brands Hercules, Sea Pirate and Old Monk were good)

Hey, I am digressing, so let me get to the point.

As I told you, my wife hated my drinking.

In contrast, I loved drinking so much that I used to eagerly wait for sunset so that I could pour my first peg of the day.

(As a rule I avoided drinking in daytime since I did not enjoy it)

I drank quite regularly, almost every day, and I am sure my wife was very worried that I may become an alcoholic.

I am sure she prayed that I should stop drinking alcohol.

Probably, my drinking was the biggest problem in her life.

Then, all of a sudden, one day I stopped drinking – yes, I quit drinking alcohol forever.

This happened more than 10 years ago and since then I have remained a teetotaller.

I thought that my wife would be very happy that I had stopped drinking.

I thought that my wife would be filled with joy that her prayers had been answered and that her alcohol loving husband had turned a new leaf and was living a life of temperance and sobriety.

In fact, I thought that she would be full of praise for me. 

However, since the day I quit drinking, my wife has never praised me even once for having the resolve and willpower to free myself from the clutches of alcohol which I loved so dearly.

I thought that for an alcohol lover like me to have given up drinking was a commendable act deserving of the highest praise, especially from my wife who was most affected by my drinking habit.

Yet, my wife has never uttered a word of praise for my good deed, either in private or in public.

The reason – PRAISOPHOBIA.

My wife is afraid that if she praises me I may start drinking again.

So Dear Reader, the moral of the story is this:

If you do a praiseworthy deed and someone does not praise you, do not think that those persons are unappreciative – maybe they suffer from Praisophobia

Think about it. Do you suffer from Praisophobia? Or do you know someone who is praisophobic?

PS:

The opposite of PRAISOPHOBIA is PRAISOMANIA

I am sure you have seen many such praisomaniac types – people who keep praising even when it is not justified.

 

 

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse – his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
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Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

      

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Posted by Vikram Karve 

SELF CONFIDENCE – HOW TO BECOME A CONFIDENT PERSON

SELF CONFIDENCE – HOW TO BECOME A CONFIDENT PERSON.

ARE YOU A CONFIDENT PERSON – Check Out Your Confidence Level

ARE YOU CONFIDENT

Check Out Your Confidence Level

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Do you feel confident?

Does your self confidence depend on your mood and fluctuate from time to time depending on the situation or is it steadfast, unwavering and persistent?

Is your confidence level the same in all aspects of your life and with all people or does it depend on personal circumstances and who you are interacting with?

Does a crisis situation or adversity shake your confidence?

How do your perceive your own confidence level?

How do others perceive you – do they feel you are overconfident or underconfident?

Are you genuinely confident from inside or do you put an act, a fake mask of buoyancy, and make a pretence of outward confidence?

True confidence gives you a wonderful feeling of self-assurance, aplomb and dignity and is evident and can be seen in your poise and deportment .

The hallmarks of a genuinely confident person can be encapsulated in seven distinctive traits. A truly confident person will possess a high degree of each of the seven attributes of confidence, so ask yourself these seven questions and check out for yourself how confident you really are.

THE SEVEN ASPECTS OF CONFIDENCE

1. DO YOU LOVE YOURSELF?

You cannot be a confident person unless you love yourself. Self-Love is the foundation of Self-Esteem which is a crucial sine qua non of confidence. How can you be confident if you are not happy with yourself, your very own body and your unique personality? Indeed you must first love all aspects of your own self.

2. DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF?

Confidence begins from within and when we love ourselves and do not seek the approval of others, we start believing in ourselves. Self-Belief makes your fearless and enables you to cope with crises because confident persons believe they have the power to handle their own lives whereas unconfident persons who do not believe in themselves always look for support and assurance from outside and try to seek help from others to deal with challenges in their own lives.

3. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH YOURSELF?

To be truly confident, you must love yourself, believe in yourself and, most importantly, be comfortable with yourself. Yes, genuinely confident people are happy in their own skin and comfortable with themselves, as they are. They love who they are, they do not wish to be anyone else and they seek no one’s approval to be whom they wish to be. Truly confident persons are immune to the disease to please . They are natural leaders with a strong sense of personal belonging who feel secure with themselves and who don’t blindly follow others or conform for the sake of conformance, but who chart their own course and inspire others to follow them.

4. ARE YOU AWARE OF YOURSELF?

Self-Awareness is a key aspect of confident persons as knowing your values, your strengths and limitations helps you in developing your personality, giving a direction to your life, enhancing your achievements and accomplishments and boosting your confidence.

5. ARE YOU FEARLESS?

Confident persons are not paralysed by fear – they rather act first and be afraid later. A fearless approach to life, willingness to take risks, try out new things, innovate and experiment, and a pioneering attitude are hallmarks of a confident person.

6. DO YOU HAVE A THIRST FOR LEARNING?

Truly confident people love to learn. They strive for continual improvement and have a thirst for knowledge in order to achieve continual growth. They are innovative, creative and try to make the most of their talents in order to realize their maximum potential because they believe in themselves which gives them the determination, tenacity and sense of purpose to keep going even when others have given up.

7. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR LIFE?

Confident persons are happy, here and now, as they are, with all aspects of their life in its entirety. They are content with whatever they have. Unhappiness and discontentment erode self-esteem and destroy your confidence. Happiness and contentment are a must for confidence, and that is why confident persons always exhibit cheerfulness and optimism and generate positive vibes.

So introspect and check out for yourself – how many of these seven confidence attributes do you have? Discover your strengths, find out how confident you really are and where you need to improve. Wish you tons and tons of confidence!

VIKRAM KARVE

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop’s School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book APPETITE FOR A STROLL and his book of fiction short stories is being published soon. Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog : http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Email:

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HOW TO REMAIN A BACHELOR FOR LIFE

THE ART OF REMAINING SINGLE

A Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

There is a beautiful and bright young girl who lives in my neighbourhood. She wants to get married but just can’t seem to find anyone suitable matching her requirements. She is surrounded by so many “eligible” boys, colleagues at work and as her friends, and has “seen” and “rejected” a large number of boys her parents and well-wishers keep lining up for her. None of the boys seems to come up to her perfect standards and high expectations. But she does want to get married.

I wonder whether I should tell her this apocryphal Mulla Nasrudin Teaching story – THE PERFECT WIFE :

Mulla Nasrudin was sitting in a tea shop when a friend came excitedly to speak with him.

“I’m about to get married,” his friend said, “and I’m very excited.”

“Congratulations,” Mulla Nasrudin said, pokerfaced.

“Tell me, Nasrudin, have you ever thought of marriage yourself?” the friend asked Mulla Nasrudin, who had remained a chronic bachelor.

Nasrudin replied, “I did think of getting married. In my youth, in fact, I very much wanted to get married.”

“So, what happened?” the friend asked curious.

“I wanted to find for myself the perfect wife,” Nasrudin said, “so I travelled looking for the perfect wife. I first went to Damascus. There I met a beautiful woman who was gracious, kind, and deeply spiritual, but she had no worldly knowledge. Then I travelled further and went to Isphahan. There I met a woman who as both spiritual and worldly, beautiful in many ways, but we did not communicate well.”

“Then?” the friend asked.

“I kept on searching for the perfect wife and travelled all over the world meeting so many women,” Nasrudin explained.

“And did you find her? Tell me, did you finally find the perfect wife?” the friend asked eagerly.

“Yes,” Nasrudin said, “after travelling all over finally I went to Cairo and there after much searching I found her. She was spiritually deep, graceful, and beautiful in every respect, at home in the world and at home in the realms beyond it. I knew I had found the perfect wife.”

“Then why did you not marry her?” the friend asked excitedly.

“Alas,” said Nasrudin as he shook his head in dismay, “Unfortunately, she was searching for the perfect husband.”

Tell me, Dear Reader, should I tell the beautiful and bright young girl this story now, or should I wait till she perfects the art of remaining single ?

VIKRAM KARVE

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

vikramkarve@sify.com