BUILDING ENGAGING AND ADAPTIVE LEADERS

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Leadership Development Seminar (SLDS) returned for the second year on 6 Feb and brought together local, external, and overseas speakers to share their thoughts and insights on leadership and leadership development.

SLDS 2015 aimed to encourage SAF leaders to apply leadership development knowledge and be effective commanders in the SAF. The theme of the one-day seminar was Building Engaging and Adaptive Leaders with the focus on adaptability and engaging leadership.

In his welcome address, Commandant SAFTI Military Institute, Rear-Admiral (RADM) Giam Hock Koon explained the rationale behind this year's theme: "Increasingly, the environment in which the SAF has to operate in will be volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Our people need to read the situation, understand the context and above all - do the right thing."

Chief of Navy, RADM Lai Chung Han, was in agreement. He added on some of his thoughts on the concept of leading from the middle. RADM Lai said in his keynote address: "What does it mean to lead from the middle? It means very simply - to lead and influence people all around you.

"The basic concept is this, and I quote Maxwell (John Maxwell, author of The 360 Degree Leader): 'You can lead others from anywhere within the organisation, and when you do, you make the organisation better.' "

Elaborating further, RADM Lai said: "From the middle, you can lead upwards by trying to see matters from your boss' perspective and developing yourself to be on the same level. See the bigger picture - the larger processes or relationships - and by doing so, you will be able to bring better options and recommendations.

"Being in the middle, you can also be the link between the higher strategic intent and the realities on the ground."

SLDS 2015 also featured several distinguished guest speakers such as Lieutenant-General (LG) (Rtd) Winston Choo and Banyan Tree Holdings Executive Chairman Ho Kwon Ping.

LG (Rtd) Choo shared his thoughts on leaders within the military and said: "The military leader must embrace his duty as a military professional and not perceive his role as merely a job or an occupation. Only then will his leadership position transcend self-interest in favour of the higher good - the primacy of the security and defence of our nation."

He advised: "As a military professional, you are not driven by economic and materialistic gain, nor are you bound by the contractual terms of the market place. You lead as the professional with competence, courage and care for the people under your charge."

Mr Ho shared on the topic of Leader in the SAF, Leader in Life, highlighting the importance of the SAF in developing good leaders who contribute to Singapore society.