20th May 2026
Under the guidance of Commander of the Army the Directorate of Training conducted a one-day professional development workshop for Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeant Majors on 20 May 2026 at Grand Maitland, Colombo, under the theme “Towards Excellence in Army Leadership Through Emotional, Psychological and Financial Intelligence”. The programme aimed at enhancing leadership skills among Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeant Majors by developing emotional intelligence, psychological awareness, and financial literacy, enabling effective decision-making, personnel management, and resilience under challenging conditions.
Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo RSP ndu psc IG, Commander of the Army, graced the event as the Chief Guest and delivered the opening address.
The first session, titled “Mental Discipline – Strong Command: Emotional Intelligence and Life Skills in Military Leadership”, was conducted by Mr. Prasad Jayasinha, Managing Director of the Emotional Intelligence and Life Skills Training Team (Gte) Ltd. The session focused on strengthening mental resilience, emotional intelligence, and practical life skills essential for effective military leadership.
The second session, “Leadership for Effective Decision Making”, was delivered by Professor W. Sagara Chandrasekara, former Director of the Institute of Human Resource Advancement (IHRA), University of Colombo. The presentation emphasised structured decision-making approaches and adaptive leadership in complex operational environments.
Subsequently, a session on “Personnel Management” was conducted by Major General K.V.N.P. Premaratne RSP USP nps psc, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army. The discussion addressed contemporary challenges in military human resource management and strategies to improve personnel effectiveness.
The final lecture, titled “Money Talks (Financial Awareness and Personal Financial Management)”, was delivered by Ms. Surani Wetthasingha, Director of George 360. The session highlighted the importance of financial literacy and personal financial planning for military professionals.
217 Commanding Officers and 220 Regimental Sergeant Majors attended the workshop.The workshop concluded with closing remarks delivered by Brigadier B.A.D.R.A.C. Wijeyesekera RSP ctf-ndu USACGSC, Director Training. Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks participated in the workshop.
