Building Resilience Skills

In 2008, Michael Phelps won Olympic GOLD - completely blind. The moment he dove in, his goggles filled with water. But he kept swimming. Most swimmers would’ve fallen apart. Phelps didn’t - because he had trained for chaos, hundreds of times. His coach, Bob Bowman, would break his goggles, remove clocks, exhaust him deliberately. Why? Because when you train under stress, performance becomes instinct. Psychologists call this stress inoculation. When you expose yourself to small, manageable stress: - Your amygdala (fear centre) becomes less reactive. - Your prefrontal cortex (logic centre) stays calmer under pressure. Phelps had rehearsed swimming blind so often that it felt normal. He knew the stroke count. He hit the wall without seeing it. And won GOLD by 0.01 seconds. The same science is why: - Navy SEALs tie their hands and practice underwater survival. - Astronauts simulate system failures in zero gravity. - Emergency responders train inside burning buildings. And you can build it too. Here’s how: ✅ Expose yourself to small discomforts. Take cold showers. Wake up 30 minutes earlier. Speak up in meetings. The goal is to build confidence that you can handle hard things. ✅ Use quick stress resets. Try cyclic sighing: Inhale deeply through your nose. Take a second small inhale. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat 3-5 times to calm your system fast. ✅ Strengthen emotional endurance. Instead of avoiding difficult conversations, hard tasks, or feedback - lean into them. Facing small emotional challenges trains you for bigger ones later. ✅ Celebrate small victories. Every time you stay calm, adapt, or keep going under pressure - recognise it. These tiny wins are building your mental "muscle memory" for resilience. As a new parent, I know my son Krish will face his own "goggles-filled-with-water" moments someday. So the best I can do is model resilience myself. Because resilience isn’t gifted - it’s trained. And when you train your brain for chaos, you can survive anything. So I hope you do the same. If this made you pause, feel free to repost and share the thought. #healthandwellness #mentalhealth #stress

I start every day by reading a sticky note on my laptop: "Slow down to go far." In Q1, I needed that reminder more than ever! Things are moving incredibly fast – in our industry and at HubSpot. So in Q2, how can you execute with urgency without losing sight of the bigger picture? First, a confession: slowing down doesn’t come naturally to me. (That’s why I have needed a daily reminder for years 🙂) When I first moved from individual contributor to manager, the feedback from my team was clear: I was moving too fast. They felt like they were always playing catch-up and didn't have the context they needed. I’m still working on this years later (just ask my team – they’ll tell you my favorite phrase is "let’s go faster!"). But here are some things that have worked for me: 1. Prioritize conversations with customers and partners: Every Wednesday, I block my calendar, cut back on internal meetings, and snooze notifications to focus on conversations with customers and partners. When you’re moving fast, it’s easy to lose touch with what matters most – your customers. Protect regular time every week to reconnect directly with them. It helps you stay grounded in your mission and keeps the bigger picture clear. 2. Create space for constructive dialogue with your team: Don’t let every team meeting become a status update. Set aside dedicated time to discuss bigger topics like product strategy, go-to-market plans, and pricing decisions. Your team needs space to debate and align on the big issues. 3. Ask more questions: When something is on fire, it’s natural to jump straight into solutions or quick decisions. But I’ve learned the power of pausing. Remember to ask clarifying questions first: “What assumptions are we making?” “Who hasn’t weighed in yet?” “Is there context we’re missing?” You’ll get better alignment and save time in the long run. Slowing down isn’t natural for many leaders. You’re wired to move quickly, solve problems, and set the pace for your team. But during times of huge change, the most effective leaders I know don’t just execute with intensity, they bring people along. The best way to go far is to be intentional about slowing down – sticky notes optional 😉

There are always situations in which you need to communicate fast and clearly. Especially in a crisis, in new situations, or when there is time pressure. The STICC protocol helps you achieve this. The STICC Protocol was developed by psychologist Gary Klein as a tool for managing the unexpected. STICC stands for: Situation, Task, Intent, Concerns, Calibrate and is a technique for productive communication about what to do when you face a new, unexpected situation. This is what it means: S - Situation = Here’s what I think we face. The leader summarizes how they see the situation, problem, or crisis at hand. T - Task = Here’s what I think we should do. The leader explains their plan for addressing the situation, problem, or crisis at hand. I - Intent = Here’s why I think this is what we should do. The leader explains the reasons why they think this is the best way of addressing the situation, problem, or crisis at hand. C - Concerns = Here’s what we should keep our eyes on. The leader mentions possible downsides or future consequences of the solution suggested to be taken into account as well. C - Calibrate = Now talk to me and give me your views. The leader asks others in the team to give their feedback and viewpoints, and especially invites them to disagree and add. This technique helps you in managing pressured situations in three ways: First, once something unexpected happens, it helps to develop appropriate responses. The five steps are aimed at discussing with a team what to do in cases that are not familiar. Through its focus on concrete action, on gathering different viewpoints, and on speed, the STICC protocol is a quick way to take appropriate action in new situations. Second, in step 4 (Concerns), you open up the discussion for further uncertainties and other changes that may follow. In this way, you mentally prepare people that there will always remain uncertainties. This helps in developing a crisis-ready mindset that is not only helpful in the current crisis, but also in the next. Third, the fact that a constructive dialogue takes place also facilitates communication and mutual learning. Even though the leader brings the suggestions here, it is the team together that comes to a solution. And while doing that, they learn together and from each other in an open and adaptive way, which helps further prepare them for future crises. My advice: use STICC whenever you have to communicate fast and clearly. === Follow me or subscribe to my Soulful Strategy newsletter for more: https://lnkd.in/e_ytzAgU #communicationtips #agile #teamexercise

A recent EY study found that 94% of senior executives who played team sports believe it helped them develop leadership and strategic thinking skills. Rugby, with its intensity and structure, offers one of the clearest parallels to high-performance business environments. What do you think about this play? 🏉 Strategic thinking + The average rugby player makes 220–250 rapid decisions per match — about one every 15 seconds. + Teams that analyze opponent patterns with data-driven strategies increase win rates by up to 30%, much like analytics-driven businesses outperform competitors. 🤝 Team cohesion + In elite rugby, 15 players operate as one unit — each with a defined role yet adaptable to shifting dynamics. + According to Gallup, organizations with high team engagement see 21% higher profitability and 59% lower turnover — results that mirror high-trust rugby squads. 🔥 Resilience + A typical match involves 120–140 physical tackles, but players reset and rejoin the game in seconds. + Neuroscience studies show athletes trained for resilience recover focus 60% faster after stress — a skill increasingly vital in leadership and crisis management. 🎯 Leadership under pressure + Captains must make tactical calls in less than 3 seconds, often without full information — a perfect metaphor for executive decision-making in uncertain markets. + A Deloitte study found leaders who thrive under pressure are 70% more likely to drive above-average team performance. Whether you’re facing a market challenge or an opposing scrum, the principles remain the same: Stay focused. Trust your team. Adapt fast. And keep driving forward — no matter the pressure. #Leadership #Teamwork #Rugby #BusinessStrategy #Resilience #HighPerformance #DecisionMaking #GrowthMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #SportsLeadership #TeamCulture #Motivation #BusinessLessons via @rugbypass #innovation

A leader’s job is not to avoid turbulence. It’s to prepare for it. If there’s one thing I learned from two decades of studying crisis leadership, it’s that. You cannot operate as if disruption is a rare occurrence; you must expect the unexpected and learn to thrive amid uncertainty. I recently had the opportunity to contribute to this thought-provoking piece from the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program exploring what will define great business leadership in the period ahead: https://whr.tn/4btMkIQ The through-line among the responses is striking: While we may be living through a time of rapid technological transformation, it’s deeply human qualities that will distinguish the most effective leaders. From Diane Brady’s reminder that today’s leaders must serve as “communicators-in-chief,” to Andrew Ross Sorkin’s call for relentless self-inquiry, to Linda Hill’s vision of the leader as an “explorer,” each of these perspectives reinforced the need for more listening, reflection, and trust. My view is that the leaders who differentiate themselves will display three qualities: 1. Stamina, withstanding immense pressure over prolonged periods of volatility 2. Foresight, capable of anticipating and mitigating, rather than just reacting to, emerging risks 3. Humanity, because humility and authenticity produce trust I maintain that all three can be built like a muscle if they are not innate. But doing so requires a reframing of our mindset – instead of merely asking, “How am I responding to all this change?”, also asking, “Am I ready for what’s next?”

Black women lost 91% of all women’s jobs in April. But that number isn’t the whole story — it’s just the tip of the truth. Here’s what’s “under the hood”: 1. This isn’t a fluke. It’s design. We’re overrepresented in jobs labeled essential during crisis and expendable during recovery. Admin, healthcare support, education, retail — sectors that get cut first and protect last. This is occupational segregation, and it’s doing exactly what it was built to do. 2. We were already leaking out of the pipeline. Let’s not pretend this started in April. We’ve been underpromoted, underpaid, and undersponsored — despite being the most educated demographic in the country. So when layoffs come, we aren’t just losing jobs. We’re losing hard-won ground. 3. Post-2020 performative #DEI is dead — and we’re the collateral. Many of us were hired into DEI roles or “diversity-friendly” spaces when companies wanted good press. Now, as backlash builds and budgets shrink, we’re first on the chopping block — again. This is what happens when #equity is cosmetic. 4. The economic damage is generational. 91% job loss isn’t just a stat. It’s a ripple: • Mortgage denials • Career derailment • College fund delays • Entrepreneurship on pause • Healthcare gaps This hits families, not just individuals. 5. Stop calling this a resilience issue. Resilience isn’t a fix for economic exploitation. We are not interested in masking systemic harm with individual hustle. So no, this isn’t just about job loss. It’s about power. It’s about who gets to stay. It’s about who gets protected — and who gets the short end of the stick just for taking up space. Black women are architecting a strategy that doesn’t require permission. Black women are pivoting on purpose, rebranding without code-switching, and rising without waiting for rescue. If this shook you, good. If it lit a fire under you, even better. Now let’s build something they can’t lay off. #RebrandAndRise #CareerNomadNoir #BlackWomenAtWork #StillEmployedStillAfraid #RNA #Layoffs #WorkplaceTruths #StopTheErasure #PowerToPivot #LinkedInNews LinkedIn News #hellomonday #officehours Source: Black Enterprise Magazine, May 2025 Jeffrey McKinney https://lnkd.in/eCMzUd8K

My latest newsletter on resilience seems to have struck a chord. The volume and breadth of messages I’ve received have surprised me. They came from CEOs and from people early in their careers, all describing the same struggle to stay steady under relentless pressure and growing uncertainty. In the piece, I argue that resilience as the ability to “bounce back” belongs to a world where pressure comes in episodes. Today, it compounds. Resilience in this moment is the capacity to remain anchored while the pressure accumulates. To stay present without becoming numb, to listen without rushing to judgment, and to hold moral lines even when compromise feels easier. When leaders are depleted, distracted, or permanently reactive, they don’t stop acting. They stop seeing clearly. And when clarity fades, so does the ability to choose deliberately under pressure, especially when the easiest decision is not the right one. That is why resilience can no longer be treated as a private coping strategy. It has become critical leadership infrastructure. At its heart resilience is not about retreating from the world. It is about remaining sufficiently intact to meet it as it is. It allows leaders to remain attentive to what is happening, honest about what is changing, and firm about what must not. In a period of rapid change and continuous pressure, that may be among the most consequential responsibilities leadership carries.

Struggling teams don't need another framework. They need a leader. I've taken over bad teams filled with good people. I learned to embrace three themes for a successful reset: ✅ Change requires honoring the past and building the future ✅ Trust is rebuilt through actions, not just words ✅ Culture lives in daily micro-decisions Here are the 8 lessons that make it work: 1/ Honor the Past ↳ Don't play the blame game ↳ Value those who stayed through hard times 2/ Name What Stops Here ↳ Be specific about what changes ↳ Get them to help rewrite the new rules 3/ Own Your Role ↳ Acknowledge where you fell short ↳ Build trust through self-accountability 4/ Reset the Target ↳ Paint a clear 6-month vision ↳ Define what excellence looks like 5/ Define Winning Behaviors ↳ Skip empty corporate speak ↳ Make expectations crystal clear 6/ Create New Rituals ↳ Build sacred team habits ↳ Engineer connection, especially remote 7/ Embrace Iterations ↳ Progress isn't linear ↳ Celebrate small wins, learn from setbacks 8/ Rebuild Trust Daily ↳ Start from trust at zero ↳ Do what you say you'll do 9/ Catch Them Winning ↳ Be specific about what you see ↳ What gets recognized gets repeated Want more detail?  Flip through the full playbook below. Remember:  Your team likely knows the path forward. They're just waiting for you to walk it first. If this was helpful: 📌 Please follow Dave Kline for more ♻️ Share to help other leaders turn things around.

I recently read a story by Jordyn Holman in The New York Times that articulated something many Black women have been carrying quietly. Over the past year, Black women professionals, particularly college-educated, mid- to senior-level women, have experienced some of the steepest employment losses. What follows isn’t just job searching. It’s rebuilding the structure in real time. Group chats form. Résumés are shared. References are traded. Encouragement circulates. What often gets framed as resilience is, in reality, an emergency response. When Black women are pushed out of work, they don’t just lose a paycheck. They lose predictability. They lose professional safety. They lose an identity that required constant maintenance just to be tolerated. Several women interviewed described years of self-editing, tone policing, and emotional buffering in “progressive” environments that still demanded vigilance. Others spoke about an unexpected sense of relief, stepping away not because they failed, but because the emotional cost had become unsustainable. This isn’t simply about a difficult job market. It’s about what prolonged hyper-awareness does to the nervous system. When success requires constant monitoring of language, reactions, presence, and worth, the body never fully relaxes. Over time, that pressure doesn’t just exhaust you. It reshapes how you understand yourself. What I’m paying attention to now isn’t only how Black women secure their next role. It’s how they recover their sense of safety, agency, and self in the meantime. Survival is not stability, and resilience should never require self-erasure. (Article: Jordyn Holman, The New York Times) #BlackWomenAtWork #WorkplaceWellbeing #EmotionalLabor #CareerTransitions #PsychologicalSafety #LeadershipWellness #BurnoutAwareness #IdentityAndWork #BlackWomenProfessionals

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗿𝗵𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀? They are an important part of the way a team works but they don’t always work in the way they were intended. Reviewing rituals together helps people to share feedback, discuss improvements and reaffirm what it means to be a part of your team. We did this exercise today as a team at Amazing If and I thought it might be helpful to share our rituals so that you can see what we do and what we have learned from doing it… (if you have any questions, let me know!) ✅ Amazing If - rituals to keep ⭐️ Mistake moments - working really well to share in Teams as they happen, even better if we bring insights into our meetings to discuss implications ⭐️ Win of the week - working well to share on a Friday. Where people struggle to spot a win the team can help ⭐️ WWW / EBI (what works well, even better if) - really helpful framework to capture learning from projects and events that we want to come back to ⭐️ Squiggly Staycation - valued team bonding moment in a busy year. Learning and connection are the priority agenda items ⭐️ Metrics that matter - very useful monthly meeting where everyone sees how the business is performing. Individuals all own different metrics. ⭐️ Squiggly shout outs - a way to give in the moment positive feedback to someone in the team. Done in meetings and over Teams. 🛠️ Amazing If x rituals to adapt and improve ⭐️ Career conversations - not quite working for everyone in the current format. We’re going to experiment with a quarterly frequency and review the tools we’re using in the discussion to see where they can be improved. ⭐️ Monday meetings - an important weekly meeting to connect and create focus. However, would work even better if for people th consistently share; the one thing that is most important to achieve that week, their highest energy moment in the week, any red flags that the team need to know ⭐️ 121s - a bit inconsistent in frequency. Fortnightly 45 mins going in the diary for everyone. ⭐️ Walk & Talks - dropped out of the diary. Re-educate about the role of a walk & talk (thinking meeting about something that’s on your mind) and add to diary. ⭐️ Experiments - important for our impact and growth. We need to have a simple structure to consistently design our experiments and create a Teams channel to track them ⭐️ Challenge & Builds - works well for people to be involved in projects and offer constructive feedback. ❌ Amazing If x rituals to archive ⭐️ Good Growth Guides - too complicated to keep updated and review back to. 1 pager that could be used in 121s and Career Conversations would be more helpful ⭐️ Project on a page - no I one is using them. Alternative solution may be needed. Stop for now. Would love to know about any rituals your team has that work well!