A Happy and Efficient Ship – A Lesson from Noel Coward

Are there special components that great managers need to have when they want the best from their teams? How many are there; what are they and how on earth can you implement them.

Or is it much simpler than that.

In the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, England, there are many wonderful exhibits. None less so than the half a floor or so that is devoted to the Atlantic battles that took place during World War 2.

The exhibits are enhanced by explanations and multimedia that explain what happened, as well as the character of the nation that was able to withstand the threat and provide magnificent men and women who were able to succeed on the open seas of the North Atlantic.

One of the exhibits shows a small – and highly relevant, even today – extract from the famous wartime movie, “In Which We Serve”, starring (and written and directed by!) Noel Coward.

Upon taking up his command, he seeks advice from his new crew, what sort of ship would be needed for the forthcoming voyage.

One wag in the crowd pipes up, ‘A happy ship, Captain.’

…and quickly another, ‘An efficient ship, Sir.’

Coward repeats these two qualities back to them.

“A happy ship and an efficient ship. In my experience, you can’t have one without the other.”

Despite all of our modern naval (my apologies!) gazing, could it be that management is really that simple? Could it be that there is little else of importance than these two qualities?

Of course Coward is not discussing management today, yet he is idealizing the values that are required to make a successful voyage in very difficult circumstances.

Can you have a happy ship, without efficiency?

Well, if you try, my guess is that happiness evaporates as your people get annoyed and frustrated with the inefficiencies of others.

An efficient ship, without it being happy – is this possible? Well, maybe, for a while. As time goes on, the lack of happiness – which in itself is a symptom of a malaise – will lead to conflict. And that is no ingredient to have in the efficiency cake.

With efficiency and happiness, together, is this enough for a successful venture?

Well, in themselves, perhaps not – yet, when they are there, it’s more than likely that there is enough of a base for every other quality to drive success to be enabled too.

Being efficient and happy at the same time will surely underpin any other values that the team needs for success.

Truth is, where you have both of these in place, you are much more likely to reap positive rewards. Not least because whilst you are focusing on just two things, your life as a manager becomes that much more easy.