Another year, another In Camp Training (Singapore reservist shenanigans). My 9th year of ICT (how time flies), and the 7th cycle in the “syllabus”
It was different this time.
In the preceding year, I was focused on understanding, applying and trialing different observations from various leaders and managers. In particular, I was taken to the concept of Servant Leadership: which I layer on a fundamental belief that humans do desire to be productive; and if well directed, may miss their target due to 3 fundamental factors: resourcing, competency, and bottlenecks and decisions. The assumption here is that the targets and strategy are well set.
Attending, and serving these three factors are key to a team’s progress.
On Collective Achivement
And with every experiment, must come a result or a feedback. And this year did showcase it well. We did well. Our company, did well.
So far, the thesis holds. But it remains a fresh learning and this universal framework will continue to be built on; refined.
Especially towards its end, when, as I hauled myself up for a final closing address, I noticed something missing. A sense of heart and pride; which reflects my rather cold approach in “tick-boxing” things. Perhaps it was the rather intense 72 or so hours, driven by sleeplessness and the intense heat of the exercise. Or perhaps it was my weary body, worn down and a hollow shell of weak energy.
Not to be completely faulted, as I had certainly pushed myself through an Acute upper respiratory infection, 1 day before going outfield (note below). Practically not slept (ugh camping) during the night out, and still managed to lead a full day of inspections, checking, updating, deciding, instructing, and, serving.
My closing address was more a recital, than an impassioned celebration. Although, respect is hard earned, and it this case, not easily lost.
*Buttons to press: i drank at least 7L of water that afternoon, saw a dr, drank probably double the dose of cough syrup; and when i needed to suppress - Afrin spray has been an aboslute MVP, while also plying myself with Redoxon and Lactoforte supplements throughout. But i also think that walking/moving with light work, outdoors in the sun, has been far better a medication than being indoors unable to sleep…
There remains a missing element.
On the Motivators of Men
I have intrinsic weaknesses (which not only apply to leadership, but to myself too). Rarely do i Praise, or celebrate. When to be tough, calculated and cold? When to be warm, forthcoming and light?
and in this note, i will completely gloss over motivating factors like “pay” and materialism, which is probably immensely important in the working world, but a simple game of numbers that is oftend determined by other factor.
In the recent case, I would add some caveats too, at least in the militaristic context: The rarer and more temporary struggle here is motivating under the constraints of few carrots (obligation, not a reward) nor sticks (lack of consequences). It underpins an overall struggle getting a bunch of guys from “normal” office life, to go under 35C heat to do unglamorous and laborious tasks.
Yet, my conversations yield varied remarks: Some are acutely trading off with family and duties at home; Others, saw it as an escape from the drudgery of their day jobs, or of a period of life. I sensed, as for myself too, for those leading a live of monotony (classical Singaporean work, work, personal, work time balance), a small window of a higher calling.
i had to reduce the things we do (be it work, or reservist) to just some time-bound experience:
How do experiences in suffering, stress, and effort correlate to feelings of dread, tolerance or even inspiration? How does personal Agency (LINK HERE), confound such patterns?
How do these manifest in the told-to-do vs the self-motivated doers?
This mental bookmark would probably require far further lived experience and experimentation.
I would use this post to add a note after reading Napoleon, who also remarked (albeit at the higher echelons/grand chess mastery) of people driven by:
- Influence - As in Cambeceres
- Power - As in Fouche
- Ideology - bit broader, Vive l’impereur
Again, individuals not turned by materialism, but a higher order of internal desires.
Further Reading:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliamdur/2025/06/27/the-8-virtues-of-great-leaders/