How military leadership training shaped us as entrepreneurs

To every male Singaporean citizens and second generation PRs, National Service is a rite of passage of boys becoming men. Singaporean males around the ages of 18 to 19 are generally conscripted for a two-year stint, and are deployed to various uniform services.

When asking a conscript on how the experience of National Service was, answers range from ‘an experiential learning’ to ‘it’s just a waste of time’, with a heavy inclination to the latter.

So how does National Service, in particular military leadership training in Officer Cadet School (OCS), aid an entrepreneur in his journey? And how could National Service, a key tenet of a Singaporean male’s life, be enhanced to support Singapore’s ideals of a Smart Nation of innovation and creativity? I asked six former officers in the Singapore Armed Forces, who are now entrepreneurs, for their insights.

Key lessons learnt that apply to entrepreneurship

Leading by example

For Daryl Chew, who was a former staff officer at the SAFTI MI, shares, “In NS, whenever we wanted something to be done well, we can’t just explain it once and expect our men to understand. We have to personally roll up our sleeves and show them how it’s done to set the standards and prove to them that it can be done.”

He applies this aspect to his startup, Nail Deck, where he is CEO and co-founder. His startup created a mobile shopping app that makes it easy and fun to find or create the perfect nail polish colour.

Daryl explains, “Leading by example is something I applied to the work ethics of my company. If I want my team to work on weekends, I have to work weekends too. If I want my team to report to work at 9am sharp everyday, I make sure I am at my desk at 9am sharp everyday.

Likewise, if I expect my team to adhere to assignment due dates, I will make sure that I will meet my own due dates. Because if I don’t, then why should they?”

Leadership is about being the one to take the first step and to always be there.

Gerald Tan, co-founder of Getfash, agrees. He was a platoon commander in a battalion that defends key installations in Singapore. He had to ensure fitness levels were good among his men. “The key thing for me was to always be there for my guys during training. Being there and leading by example raises morale and camaraderie.

This experience has taught me that leadership is about being the one to take the first step and to always be there. It’s not about being brave or sacrificial.”

Getfash is a shoppable fashion magazine which allows consumers to read and shop fashion easily. He shares how leading by example also applies to his startup. “To me, leading by example is about always thinking and expressing new ideas to grow our numbers, improve our product, and strengthen our team. I believe that if I keep expressing these ideas, it would influence my team to cultivate that habit and they would contribute too. Today, I feel fortunate to have talented team members who care about Getfash as much as I do. They are always suggesting ideas to overcome obstacles and solve problems.”

Gathering and attracting the top talent

How National Service can be further improved for a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship

Advice to enlistees