Conversations with Stanley Lim
By Damon Chee and Charu Nivethitha Manivannan
Stanley Lim is the Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion Singapore Guards. Driven by a sense of purpose and service, Stanley applied for and was subsequently awarded the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Overseas Scholarship to study Life Science and Management at the University of Pennsylvania. In this piece, he shares more about his reasons for choosing the army as a career, how the job has shaped him, and advice for those who are keen on pursuing a career in the SAF, amongst others.
Describe yourself in a few words.
I am someone who is purpose-driven, logical, and intuitive. As an INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging), I do not take the status quo for granted and constantly seek feedback to enhance processes and outcomes. This strong drive for improvement is also reflected in my daily interactions, where I engage others with determination and focus.
Why did you choose to take up this job?
I chose this career because I felt that the SAF was the right place for me to work, and I was subsequently awarded the scholarship. Back then, I wanted to choose a career that would give me a sense of purpose and enable me to serve the public. Next, I asked myself what kind of public service or public-centric job I wanted. Is it one that is desk-bound? Or would I want a job that is more interesting and that deals with people? The military was thus an attractive option.
When I was choosing between the army, navy, and air force, I found myself drawn to the army due to its emphasis on interpersonal interactions and its broad scope of influence. The army resonated the best with me as I felt it had the strongest sense of meaning and purpose, particularly since the army dealt with our full-time National Servicemen (NSFs). I felt that the army is where I can have the most positive and meaningful impact on people.
Could you share more about what your role encompasses and how a day in your life looks like?
Currently, I am the Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion Singapore Guards, which is an NSF unit. I have about 600 soldiers under my charge doing their National Service.
My day-to-day life is very interesting as I do different roles on different days. On some days, I am like a teacher or coach where I train soldiers to use a weapon, teach them how to operate as a platoon, or how to go for missions as a company.
On other days, I am a disciplinarian. People make mistakes, or flout rules, and I need to take them to task in order to uphold the system and discipline. When you make a mistake, I teach my soldiers to own up like a man, deal with the punishment, and move on. Sometimes, I am forced to decide what kind of punishment I need to give out for certain offences.
On certain days, I am like a counsellor. When my soldiers come to me with family or relationship problems, I counsel and give them advice.
I am also a planner where I need to think long term. What do we envision for my unit in the next one to two years? What are some of the policies or systems that we have to implement?
This is why I like to describe my time in the SAF as one career, but with many “jobs”. You take charge of different roles and responsibilities. Ultimately, as a commanding officer, I am responsible for the training, morale and discipline of my 600 men. I ensure that they have a purposeful experience during their two years of National Service.
I also ensure that the unit is operationally ready. If there comes a time when the nation needs to activate us, our soldiers can accomplish the mission and return to their families safely.
Every day is very different – it is definitely not an office job. I do not stick to the regular 9 to 5 routine – the reality is that on most days, I come to work at 7.30am, and sometimes I come to work at 7am. At times, I have to stay late because we have night training. If we are involved in outfield training, then it will be overnight, or over two nights. We do not have a fixed routine. At the managerial level in the army, no one will tell you what time to head to work and knock off from work. I get to decide what is best for my unit, my men, and how I lead my team. As such, there is a lot of autonomy in terms of leadership.
Is there anything you wish you had known before you took up this role in the army?
For myself, I was looking at a military career at quite an early stage of my life. I think the main thing about working in the army is the fast-paced nature of the job and what it demands of you.
From a very young age, you are placed in leadership positions, even as an NSF. Today, I have a 19-year-old NSF who is a platoon commander. He had just completed pre-tertiary education and went to Officer Cadet School. After he was commissioned, he took charge of 30 men. This includes the time they wake up and sleep, the activities they will be doing, their book-out timing, and so on. The officers also have to talk to their parents too. Should their parents have any issues, the first person they contact is the platoon commander. So that itself is a relatively demanding job for a 19-year-old. Sometimes, we treat them like teachers, but teachers have gone through so many years of training to be a teacher. We expect a lot from our leaders in the army, even at a very junior stage.
In the army, we value leadership. At a very young age, we cycle through the different command appointments. You start off as a platoon commander in charge of 30 men. In about four or five years when you are aged between 28 and 30, you become a company commander leading 120 men. Then at 34 or 35, you will oversee about 600 men. So it is very fast-paced and demanding, and anything that goes wrong with the 600 men is my responsibility. You are invested in the whole process; you feel like this is your unit; and you want to make sure that everything goes well. On paper, before you join, it is just a description of your job scope. However, you will feel the connection towards the job when taking charge of the roles and responsibilities – when parents approach you and thank you for taking care of their son, and comment that he truly enjoyed his time during Basic Military Training.
The role of a commanding officer is demanding but you can feel a very strong sense of fulfilment. If I can get all my 600 men back home safely after two years with a good experience during National Service, I think I have done my job well.
Could you share more about what you do outside of work?
I keep fishes at home and spend time with my three children. When you have children, you do not have much time for hobbies. From Monday to Friday, the working hours could be long, and I may not have time with them. Thus, I spend time with my children whenever I am free.
How do you achieve work-life balance in your line of work?
I think it is important to recognise that not every job will have what we typically understand as work-life balance. When you are a commander, you are a leader in charge of people. I am answerable to anyone, at any point in time, if something happens.
At the core of my work, I think the key to managing work-life balance lies in seeing things from a long-term perspective. It is not about having work-life balance every day. The balance happens over time, over the course of your work. There may be times when you are busy, and other periods when you have more time. It is thus crucial that one cultivates the discipline to devote time to other things in life when you have more time on hand. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our work that we do not pull ourselves out. Thus, some people lament that they do not have work-life balance. Ultimately, we should consider whether we have made an effort at all to work towards achieving some form of work-life balance.
What works for me may not work for others. For example, I have kids. In my case, I try to be home latest by 9pm, because that is when the kids are home, and they settle their routines. However, does that mean I have to do work outside of this time as I pull myself out? I may have to, but is that something I am comfortable with? Yes, as I know the trade-off I would need to make is to shift my time around.
Ultimately, I think that the idea of work-life balance is tied to each individual’s own aspirations, and as such is highly personal. Balance is not 50-50, but rather it is whatever makes you happy. Hence, it is about asking yourself what work-life balance means to you, instead of going through the motions and following society’s idea of work-life balance. If you find yourself facing difficulty in achieving the balance, you can always change your job. It is going to be the same whether it is in the public or private sector. At the end of the day, there is always going to be a spectrum when it comes to achieving work-life balance.
Considering that you studied healthcare management overseas, why did you not choose to be a doctor instead?
I was a biology student in university. A lot of people asked why I did not study medicine. I have an innate passion for biology, life science and medicine. But why not medicine?
I think the key lies in the scale of influence I can have on others. As a doctor, I can have a meaningful impact on my patients in terms of saving lives. But in the SAF, I have the chance as a leader to influence more lives, and I think that made the difference for me – the ability to influence, lead, and create a larger impact.
As for why I chose healthcare management, I still like biology, healthcare and medicine. However, I envisioned myself investing time in drug development, healthcare policies, or running a pharma company, instead of becoming a doctor. Ultimately, it goes back to the level of scale where developing a drug allows me to save thousands of lives. Running a healthcare business or a healthcare company allows me to have a larger scale of impact.
During university, I was keen to delve into healthcare-related fields and hence studied a specialised program examining the intersection of biology, technology and business. The course isn’t merely about pure science – it is how we make science relevant to everybody.
How did being part of the Student Council shape you into the person you are today?
Being part of the council gave me a taste of what leadership is like, which is a pivotal skill in today’s workforce. I had the opportunity to delve into the different facets of leadership including organising and rallying people towards a certain cause, which gave me a sense of fulfilment at the end. The culmination of these experiences left me with a profound sense of satisfaction that ultimately guided me in recognising my true interests and passions.
How has the army shaped you as a person?
The military experience has accelerated my maturity through decision making and understanding the various trade-offs that have to be borne if they were made. Commanders are faced with tough choices and might have to choose the unpopular one. Maturity lies in making and standing by these decisions, regardless of whether the majority agrees with you. Ultimately, it is about prioritising the mission’s objectives and well-being of our soldiers.
Serving in the SAF has provided me with first-hand insights into security threats, fostering greater appreciation for Singapore’s defence. The first-hand experiences accumulated during my SAF career have revealed the vulnerability of Singapore to global conflicts such as those currently happening in Russia, Ukraine or Israel. This underscores the need for self-reliance and preparedness as external assistance from other countries is not guaranteed in times of crisis.
The effectiveness of the defence system underscores its importance in maintaining peace and stability in the country. Recent global events impacting Singapore’s peace and stability highlight the interconnectedness of security and economic well-being. Although world wars are barely common nowadays, understanding modern threats remains crucial to our survival.
Being in the SAF has taught me the importance of initiatives such as the Total Defence exercises that revive awareness of potential disruptions and the importance of being prepared. Past experiences of water rationing and civil defence drills demonstrate the necessity of readiness even in times of peace. These activities serve as reminders of the fragility of security and the need for us to be constantly vigilant.
In recent years, Singaporeans have started to take different perspectives towards defence, despite increasing emphasis from the government on maintaining a neutral foreign policy. This reflects broader trends of polarisation and fake news. Amidst increasing global tensions in different parts of the world, the importance of Singapore maintaining a balanced perspective becomes increasingly crucial.
What advice will you give to those who are intending to pursue a career in the army?
Joining the army is not about getting rich – it is about finding your purpose and serving people while leading others. It is the sense of fulfilment and services that drives you forward. Expect long hours and be prepared to overcome unprecedented challenges. The army demands a hands-on approach and it is rare that we get to work from home.
The army offers a unique environment where different aspects such as leadership, connections with people and doing meaningful work intertwines. Every decision is not profit driven; it is based on values like discipline. If you are someone driven by purpose rather than by monetary rewards, the army could be the right fit for you.
For women who are considering joining the army, the SAF offers flexibility to explore and decide if it is the right path for you. With the provision of various programmes and opportunities for exposure, individuals can experience military life before staying committed to it. Unlike National Service, there is no obligation for you to stay if it does not suit you. Ultimately, joining the army requires a leap of faith; however, it offers a great chance for one to find a purpose and make a difference.
In an article published by the Straits Times which discusses how the SAF is ‘maximising each soldier’s performance according to their strength and skill sets’, you mentioned that “it's not about standardising the individuals; it’s about individualising the standards.” Could you elaborate on why you said so?
In today’s military, we are shifting away from standardising individuals towards individualising the standards. Instead of strictly following a certain standard, training is now driven by data, specifically based on the data of soldiers’ training. This paves way for customising the training based on individuals’ abilities. For example, instead of mandating a uniform running pace, soldiers can train at a pace tailored to their fitness levels while utilising smart devices.
We are slowly moving away from the outdated traditional approach of setting a uniform baseline for everyone to follow. Individualising the standards enables us to better leverage on the soldiers’ skills and put them to use effectively. As these changes are happening progressively, it will take time and effort to implement them across various domains in the military. Slowly but surely, it will happen.
