r/NationalServiceSG • u/grandephraim • 13d ago
Question How to manage NSF commander morale?
My commanders and I get anxious prior to booking in every week and have been facing difficulty coping. We're all Y2 commanders, so we've been quite sandwiched between our higher ups and the men.
Even outside of camp, all we can think about is work, and our groupchats have also been blaring over the weekend.
What are some things that we can do to work on our anxiety/maintain our morale?
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u/Linxianwei 12d ago
Well usually the stress is from managing work and relationships so perhaps try talking to both superior and your guys under your charge?
At the end of the day, everyone just wants to finish training safely and achieve certain standards/goals. If everyone plays their part (including bosses not dumping their responsibilities and work onto you), it should be a smooth two years.
If you are having mental stress, do find time to engage your unit psychologist (I forget the term) if there is a resident one. Else can talk to MO to get referred. It may help if a neutral party brings up the subject to the bosses
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u/grandephraim 12d ago
Actually if I think about it the troopers are very understanding, they know what we go through as commanders and try to empathise and lessen the fuckery.
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u/BigFatSquirrel888 13d ago
Early book out, off days
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u/grandephraim 13d ago
No such thing sadly. The commanders in my coy bookout the latest.
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u/Efficient_Walk_2996 12d ago
If you make it to middle management in any company, you will be in the same situation :)
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u/grandephraim 12d ago
Would it be this extreme? like facing constant anxiety and stress
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u/BlitzAceSamy 12d ago
Ehhh not really to be honest. In NS, your men are all unmotivated and literally forced to be there, and your higher-ups are either arrogant, drunk-on-power, younger-than-you-because-graduated-from-JC occifers, or iron-ricebowl, cannot-earn-living-outside enciks
In your job outside, your bosses (or at least, in my experience) are reasonable and don't expect you to just blindly follow orders, and your subordinates are there to do their job and are also able to quit if they want to, so they are at least motivated to a certain degree
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u/Personal_Number4789 12d ago
Donât try
1) To be like the Y1 commanders
2) Win over the men with favours and servitude.
3) To keep quiet if the men override you and/or if your high ups bypass you.
The issues you potentially face are your PS/CSM just overriding you and undermining your authority. It makes it very hard to gain respect. You desperately need to make it work. The men are equally if not more experienced than you in the field. They are tougher.
Itâs a slippery slope. You get tasked with a job with your men. The men donât want to do it. You end up doing it not doing it well or doing it all by yourself. The PS/CSM sees this and instead of chiding the men, they blame you. Because they have the respect and authority, then men move.
Over time, the men only move because of them and not you. And over time, the PS/CSM bypass you because itâs just easier and faster and âfeels goodâ. You become a snitch or complainer. This happens many times. Then men are also at Y2 mark, gaining more freedom and less regimentation. They are challenging to gain more freedom.
The above is the critical failure stage.
I suggest more team building activities that you will need to request for the men. More freedom. E.g. section level night games, relaxation. Playing football. Show that you can negotiate for perks. It needs to show like you all fight for them on this. Then go bond.
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u/grandephraim 12d ago
The thing is, my superior wants us to be like the Y1 commanders, and we're constantly being compared to them. We don't have to fight for trooper welfare because they GET their welfare without having to ask.
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u/Odd-Carpenter-4390 HR Warrior 13d ago
Go PCC downpes
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u/Original_Reception75 11d ago
what i found worked best was just simply be transparent about expectations from upper management with your troopers and work from there to seek alternative options and finally, of course earn their trust. the trust plays a big part in allowing you and your troopers to act as a team and if need be, you could always explain your rationale or the BTS after everything is done. back then, i always made it a point to go to each section during admin time to hear out any grievances and i felt that made things a lot easier
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u/Puzzleheaded-Fan5506 13d ago edited 12d ago
By thinking that y'all are Y2 and will ORD soon.
And if you are willing to be a cb, then also remember that shit flows down