"Unto the Breach, We Happy Few!"

And so you ask, "why 'unto the breach' ? Why 'we happy few' ? " William Shakespeare's Henry V's awakening as a leader occurs in these two statements. My interest in leadership begins here.

The first quotation, spoken at the gates of Harfleur during the raging seige of the city, incites his men to carry the day through stubborn refusal to cower. Persistence. The leader recognizes the adversity ahead, and when his charges refuse to continue to overcome the obstacle, he instills in them confidence with his words. Leadership.

The second, spoken in the hours before the great battle with French forces at Agincourt, bonds Henry to his men. He creates a world where their lot is one of unique comraderie, one of shared experience. Henry, the leader, participates as much as his followers, and he rejoices in their shared toil. Fellowship.