This week I facilitated a resilience session for a cross collaborative program that brought together internal teams and vendor partners. It was a rare moment where people stepped out of project mode and focused on something that often gets overlooked in delivery environments: their own personal resilience.
The room shifted as soon as people were given permission to pause.
There was relief.
There was honesty.
There was recognition that project life is a constant rollercoaster, and that our ability to adapt, recover and stay centred directly shapes how we show up for others.
We spend so much time working on delivery, governance and outcomes.
We spend far less time strengthening the human foundations that make delivery possible in the first place.
Resilience is not individual. It is not optional. It is not something people should be expected to manage alone.
It is a professional capability.
And it is essential.
This is the purpose behind our Resilience That Works workshop and workbook. They offer a structured, grounded and human way to understand personal resilience and create simple habits that support people on the messy days.
Below is a deeper exploration of why resilience matters in project environments, the core concepts from the workshop, and how leaders can help teams stay steady in the face of ongoing pressure.
Why Resilience Matters in Project Life
Project environments are dynamic by nature. Priorities shift. Dependencies break. Stakeholders change direction. Decision gates move. Vendors push timelines. Teams stretch across competing demands.
In this environment, resilience is not about being tough or invincible.
It is the ability to adapt, reset and continue with clarity even when the work is uncertain or emotionally charged.
Resilience influences almost everything:
- Decision quality
- Collaboration
- Emotional steadiness
- Communication
- Recovery after setbacks
- Personal wellbeing
- Team cohesion
- Sustainable performance
When resilience is low, people become reactive, narrow in their thinking and emotionally depleted. When resilience is strengthened, they regain clarity, patience and the ability to engage constructively.
During the workshop we explored three major strain points that often show up in project work: uncertainty, loss of control and identity threat.
Uncertainty can create anxiety and reduce decision quality.
Loss of control can elevate stress and drain energy quickly.
Identity threat can shake confidence and undermine resilience altogether.
These are not weaknesses. They are normal human responses to pressure. Naming them gives people the language and self-awareness needed to navigate them.
Step 1: Understanding Your Baseline
We invited participants to assess their current resilience across five dimensions: social, behavioural, emotional, physical and technical.
This simple exercise encouraged honest reflection. Many realised they had been performing on low reserves for some time. Others recognised how disconnected they had become from habits that usually support them.
Self awareness is the starting point. Without it, people often default to pushing through until fatigue takes over. With awareness, small adjustments can be made before they reach the point of overwhelm.
Step 2: Recognising Early Warning Signs
Everyone has personal indicators that their resilience is slipping.
These signs often arrive long before burnout or disengagement.
During the workshop we shared common early warning signals including: disrupted sleep, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, errors, rushing, procrastination and emotional reactivity. Participants then identified their own personal signs.
These signals matter because they allow for early intervention.
They help people pause, reset and regulate before pressure becomes unmanageable.
Leaders who understand early warning signs in their teams can respond with compassion and clarity, rather than frustration or judgment.
Step 3: Regulate First, Then Decide
One of the strongest messages from the workshop was that you cannot think your way out of stress. When the nervous system is overwhelmed, cognitive clarity reduces. Emotional reactivity increases. Attention narrows.
Regulation must come before problem solving.
We taught simple techniques that help calm the nervous system: exhale bias breathing, orienting techniques and the physiological sigh. These approaches create the physiological shift needed for clearer thinking and better decisions.
When people learn to regulate quickly, they regain access to the part of themselves that is calm, capable and resourceful. This is the version of themselves they want to bring to work.
Step 4: Understanding Your Stress Landscape
Project stress is not one dimensional.
We helped participants map their stressors across five domains: emotional, behavioural, technical, physical and social.
Seeing stress through this lens was powerful.
A technical issue can trigger emotional reactivity.
A behavioural habit can drain physical energy.
A social tension can create cognitive overload.
Mapping the landscape helps people see what is driving their stress and gives them a clearer pathway to respond.
Step 5: Focusing on What You Can Control
The Circles of Control exercise is one of the most grounding practices for project teams.
Everything in our working life falls into three categories:
- What we can control
- What we can influence
- What sits outside both
Trying to control what is outside your power leads to frustration, tension and wasted energy. Focusing on what you can genuinely control restores clarity and confidence.
People felt lighter once they shifted their attention from the unchangeable to the actionable. It creates space for constructive thinking and healthier emotional responses.
Step 6: Minimum Viable Habits
In resilience work, small actions matter more than ambitious plans.
We introduced the idea of Minimum Viable Habits: tiny practices that are easy to maintain even on challenging days. Examples include two minutes of breathing, a 60 second desk reset, a short morning walk or a screen free lunch.
These habits help people stay steady and grounded, particularly during busy project phases. The simpler the habit, the more likely it is to stick.
We also encouraged people to plan for setbacks. Missing a day or even a week is normal. The goal is to restart gently, not to aim for perfection.
Step 7: Building Your Personal Resilience Plan
Throughout the workshop participants began building a Personal Resilience Plan. This included their warning signs, triggers, boundaries, habits, support networks and values driven actions.
This plan acts as an anchor during stressful periods. It helps people remember what works for them and gives them a roadmap to return to when things go off track.
We finished with three commitments:
- Do one action in the next 48 hours
- Add a 10 minute weekly resilience check in
- Book a buddy conversation for accountability
Resilience is strengthened through repetition, not intensity. These small commitments help people maintain momentum.
Why This Matters for Project Leaders
Project leaders often focus on pace, governance and delivery. Yet the quality of delivery is shaped by the resilience of the people doing the work.
Resilient teams communicate better.
They recover more quickly from setbacks.
They maintain clearer priorities.
They adapt more effectively to change.
They experience less conflict.
They deliver more consistently.
Supporting resilience is not soft.
It is a strategic choice.
Leaders who model good boundaries, create psychological space and acknowledge human pressure build healthier and more effective teams.
Why It Matters for Vendors and Cross Collaborative Programs
In cross vendor environments, multiple cultures, expectations and ways of working come together. When pressure rises, these differences can create friction.
During our session, the presence of both internal teams and vendors created a sense of shared experience. Resilience conversations softened the room and increased trust. It allowed people to see one another not just as roles or deliverables, but as humans navigating complexity together.
This is one of the reasons resilience work is so impactful in delivery environments. It strengthens relationships and enables more constructive collaboration.
Final Reflection
Resilience is not a personal weakness to address in private.
It is a professional capability that supports sustained performance and healthier ways of working.
The willingness of participants to show up openly, honestly and courageously made the workshop incredibly powerful. Their reflections and engagement reminded me that resilience does not require dramatic change. It requires simple, intentional actions that help us stay centred when the work is complex.
If you would like a copy of the workshop pack and participant workbook, comment “resilience” or reach out directly.