SAF Centre for Leadership Development

The SAF Centre for Leadership Development nurtures military leaders through comprehensive leadership programmes, assessment tools, and research.

Last updated 28 January 2026

Entrance of SAF Centre for Leadership Development with sign on red brick wall.

About CLD

The SAF Centre for Leadership Development (CLD) was established in Jan 2003 to spearhead and promote Leadership Development (LD) and excellence in the SAF. By researching and developing timely and relevant LD practices, processes and programmes, CLD seeks to develop highly effective and committed SAF Leaders, Commanders and Command Teams, forging towards the SAF’s LD vision of Effective Leaders, Cohesive Units, Steadfast SAF.

Head SAF CLD's message

Welcome to the SAF Centre for Leadership Development (CLD).

SAF CLD aims to strengthen the SAF’s leadership advantage by equipping personnel with the knowledge, tools, and mindsets required to lead effectively in complex and evolving environments.

We collaborate closely with units and institutes to cultivate leaders capable of leading themselves, developing others, building cohesive teams, and improving the organisation.

Leadership development is integral to the SAF’s training and education system. It serves as a key enabler in preparing future-oriented leaders for the demands of an ever-changing operating environment.

Effective leadership acts as a force multiplier. It facilitates sound judgement, decisive action, and continuous organisational improvement, ensuring the SAF remains both mission-ready and future-ready.

COL Chen Zhenhao

Head SAF Centre for Leadership Development, SAFTI MI

Mission

To enable Commanders and Leaders to implement LD to be effective in accomplishing the mission, inspiring commitment and improving the organisation.

Vision

To be the nation's leading centre for leadership development recognised globally, guided by our ethos of "Seek, Sow, Serve".

Leadership development compass showing SAF CLD’s context, systems, and outcomes.

CLD is the Senior Specialist Staff Officer Headquarter (Concept development), Middle Office (Curriculum Development) and Front Office (Programme and training delivery) for Leadership Development and targets the three levels of Leadership in the SAF. CLD provides the "enablers" for SAF Leaders to (1) develop their individual leadership competencies and skills, (2) build cohesive and effective teams and (3) become stewards to lead organisation change.

Graphic of leadership levels from junior to senior in SAF leadership framework.

Each generation of Team CLD had worked closely with SAF schoolhouses and training establishments to scaffold and implement LD curriculum across the various ROA courses in the SAF, to prepare our leaders in their competencies and skills for performance at their respective levels of leadership roles. Today’s Team CLD continues to be anchored on our values of “Seek.Sow.Serve” to prepare our leaders for the Next Gen SAF, to achieve our desired outcomes of Adaptive Leaders, Effective Teams and Resilient Organisation.

Definition of leadership in the SAF

The above definition of leadership says three important things about the meaning of leadership in the SAF:

1) "A process..." Leadership refers to the verb “to influence people” rather than the noun, i.e., the category of leaders in the organisation. This emphasises that a person can be appointed as a leader, hold the rank and authority of a leader, and yet have poor leadership ability (i.e., is unable to influence people effectively).

2) "of influencing people …" “Influencing” is a general term deliberately chosen to include various methods of influence e.g.: inspirational, emotional or values-based influence, ideas, thoughts, or knowledge-based influence, exemplary or idealized influence, individualized consideration, exchange or transition-based influence. It emphasises that while leadership always involves influence of other persons, and it is not specific to any particular style – “Inspirational leadership” is but one style of influencing task accomplishment. Such a definition allows us to train SAF leaders use a wide range of leadership styles depending on the nature of the situation.

3) "to accomplish the mission, inspiring their commitment, and improving the organisation." These refer to the three major desired outcomes of leadership in the SAF that together present a balanced view of leadership that is not only mission or task-focused, but also concerned with the commitment of the followers, and the improvement of the organisation, i.e., organisational change and learning. Such a definition emphasises that leaders must not only focus on immediate task performance, but also long-term commitment and change.

SAF Leadership Development and Framework

Leadership pyramid showing values, competencies, styles, and self, framed by outcomes.

SAF Leadership Framework

Grid showing leadership core competencies, skills, and meta-competencies for growth.

SAF Leadership Competency Model

Three-Legged Stool

LD Resources

Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic

SAF was called on to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic as the virus brought most of the modern world to its knees. Read more about the efforts and inspiring stories of how SAF personnel contributed to this unprecedented event in Singapore’s history.

Four SAF personnel in uniform, including military, medical, and police roles, with background of COVID-19 operations

Access the website here.

Additional LD resources

For more LD resources, access them here.

Contact us