esprit de corps

Esprit de corps is French for 'spirit of the body' — esprit (spirit, mind) + de (of) + corps (body, in the sense of a body of people). The phrase originated in French military vocabulary, where corps meant a military unit. The esprit de corps was the collective morale, pride, and loyalty that made a unit fight effectively. The phrase entered English in the late 1700s and has been used in military, organizational, and sporting contexts ever since.

The concept is older than the phrase. What makes a group of soldiers fight? Not ideology, not pay, not fear of punishment — primarily, they fight for each other. S.L.A. Marshall's research on World War II combat behavior (Men Against Fire, 1947) found that only about 15 to 25 percent of infantry soldiers actually fired their weapons in combat. Those who did were motivated primarily by loyalty to their unit — esprit de corps. The finding was controversial but influential.

Napoleon understood the concept better than most. He said, 'In war, moral power is to the physical as three to one.' His ability to create esprit de corps — through shared danger, shared glory, and his personal presence on the battlefield — was one of his greatest military advantages. The phrase is often attributed to Napoleon, but it predates him. What he did was demonstrate its power.

The phrase has migrated from military to corporate vocabulary with mixed results. 'Building esprit de corps' appears in management literature, employee handbooks, and leadership seminars. The application is usually superficial — pizza parties and mission statements do not create the kind of bond that shared danger does. The military meaning requires risk. The corporate meaning usually does not.