Kate Marshall

Columnist

Kate Marshall

Coach Speaker, Author, Facilitator

Finding the Courage and Energy to Continue When Things are Tough

Winston Churchill once stated: “Success is not fi nal, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

As we continue to face the global challenges of rising costs and food and labour shortages, businesses are feeling the strain with many leaders having to reassess their business plans and work on controlling the controllables, which in some cases means cutting costs, reducing budgets and slowing growth plans to now focus on survival. This is particularly relevant in Northern Ireland. We have a lot of entrepreneurs with SMEs making up 95% of our economy and I believe what makes an entrepreneur is RESILIENCE. They are driven to keep going, despite the fear and uncertainty. They fi nd new opportunities and accept and embrace the challenges using disappointments and the associated anger as fuel to keep going and to deliver.

As humans we have a built-in survival radar. The body gives us all kinds of warnings that we need to rest and refocus. We get signals from our body signposting us to what we may need to do to recharge and ensure we have the energy (and health) to continue. However, we have become very adept at ignoring those signals. We can only change and manage that of which we are aware. Leaders need to have a strong understanding of themselves to successfully guide others through times of change and uncertainty. By paying attention to the signals your internal system sends you about your physical, mental and emotional energies, you can build resilience and lead well.

Resilience can come in different forms.

Physical resilience: there is huge evidence of correlation between our physical state and ability to deal with stress and challenge. Think about what works for you and make a commitment to the habit of physical exercise. Do what you enjoy rather than something that feels like a task you have to motivate yourself to do. Mental resilience: is sometimes referred to as “mental fortitude”. Take time out each day to think! Set aside at least 10 minutes each day to clear your head. It sounds so obvious but it’s a habit that will deliver fruit. I’m a huge believer in writing things down – I hesitate to call it journalling as many have an allergic reaction to the term! Capture somewhere your successes (no matter how small), create a plan for each day and work with the 80/20 rule – 20% of what you do will give you 80% of your results. Work out what your 20% is – what are the most important things you can/ must get done today? There is no doubt when we feel more mentally in control, we make better decisions and this has a great impact on our emotional resilience. Emotional resilience: this is the ability to manage our emotions – become aware of how you are feeling, go inward and acknowledge feelings of frustration, fear, anger and the impact that has on your physical and mental wellbeing. These are all perfectly normal feelings when we are under pressure, and unless we deal with them, they will show up in some way that may not be helpful. Recognising the emotions and accepting they are there is a great fi rst step. Think about how you can use these emotions in a more positive way. Social resilience: one of the most important things to do when under pressure is to spend time with people you trust and admire. Who are your go-to people? The people that you know will give you energy, not drain you of it. Leadership is a lonely place and when things get tough, I can’t emphasise enough the importance of feeling connected. Prioritise building strong, positive relationships with peers, loved ones and friends that can provide you with needed support, guidance and acceptance in good and bad times.

Without doubt, resilient leaders have the ability to sustain their energy level under pressure, to cope with disruptive changes and they adapt. They get focused, make decisions quickly and they use colleagues and friends as sounding boards. They bounce forward, not back from setbacks.

I’ll leave you with a couple of quotes:

“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” Nelson Mandela “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” J.K. Rowling

My takeaways for you to build resilience:

01 Listen to your body and take action accordingly. Take care of yourself.

02 Choose your attitude every day, remain hopeful. “This too will pass”.

03 Be proactive, focus on the 20% that will give you a sense of getting “the right things” done.

04 Learn from experience – capture your successes, take time to think.

05 Surround yourself with the right people and stay connected.