How to Build Resilience and Extend the Benefits of the Kick Off
As we step into the new year, many ex-colleagues and leaders in multinational organisations are attending their annual Kick Off events. These gatherings, whether grand productions or smaller team-focused sessions, are vital moments to celebrate achievements, recognise high performers, and align teams with the year’s goals. While not every company operates on the same scale, the concept of taking time to deliver annual messages is universal and impactful.
When I served in a regional leadership role, I was responsible for organising these events, and I often found myself wondering: How long does that energy last? When teams inevitably face obstacles, would they recall the inspiring messages and maintain their momentum? Looking back, I realise that this was a question I should have explored further. Were we equipping our teams not just for the high of the Kick Off but for the highs and lows of the year?
A key question arises: What can leaders do after the Kick Off to sustain its impact? Resilience, the ability to bounce back from challenges and adapt to adversity, emerges as a critical factor. Without it, even the best Kick Off messages may fall flat when reality hits. As a resilience coach, I’ve seen how embedding resilience into leadership and team culture can transform a Kick Off from a single event into a lasting driver of success.
Here are three ways organisations can use the momentum of the Kick Off to build resilience that lasts throughout the year.
1. Model Resilience as Leaders
Leadership sets the tone for resilience across teams. After the Kick Off, leaders should:
Demonstrate transparency and adaptability: Share how they navigate challenges and setbacks, showing vulnerability and a solutions-focused mindset.
Foster psychological safety: Create environments where team members feel safe to voice concerns, take risks, and learn from mistakes.
Involve teams in problem-solving: Communicate openly about challenges the company or team faces and invite employees to contribute ideas.
2. Embed Resilience into Daily Routines
Resilience isn’t a one-time effort; it requires consistent reinforcement. Build it into daily operations by:
Encouraging reflection: Start team meetings with quick check-ins to discuss what’s working, what’s challenging, and how to improve.
Focusing on incremental wins: Break big goals into smaller milestones to provide frequent opportunities for celebration and adjustment.
Providing practical tools: Offer workshops or resources on stress management, adaptability, and effective decision-making under pressure.
3. Invest in Well-Being as a Foundation for Resilience
Personal well-being directly impacts professional resilience. Ensure that employees have access to resources that help them thrive:
Promote balance: Encourage time off, manageable workloads, and flexible scheduling where possible.
Support mental health: Offer programs such as counselling, mindfulness sessions, or resilience coaching.
Proactively address burnout: Train managers to recognise stress signals and take early action to support their teams.
Conclusion
Looking back, as much as it was great to stand on a stage, seeing the hyped faces and feeling the excitement of the energy generated at a Kick Off, I can’t help but wonder: if I knew then what I know now, would success have been easier to achieve? Perhaps if I had given more attention to embedding resilience and creating structures to sustain the momentum, the path might have been smoother.
Resilience is the bridge between the highs of the Kick Off and sustained success throughout the year. By equipping teams with the tools, support, and culture needed to adapt and thrive, organisations can ensure that the energy and inspiration from the event translate into meaningful, lasting impact.
My Annual Kickstarter
As the new year begins, attending the Pendulum Summit has become a tradition that energises my professional journey as a coach and advisor. I feel fortunate to participate in an event that not only inspires but also encourages me to reflect on how I approach my work for the year ahead. This year was no different, a blend of deep insights, personal stories, and actionable strategies left me motivated to tackle the year ahead. Here are some of my reflections and key takeaways.
Resilience and Overwhelm: A Shared Challenge
One theme that echoed throughout the summit was resilience. Speaker after speaker emphasized its importance as a critical skill for navigating the complexities of today’s world. While resilience is undeniably vital, its frequent mention, almost to satuaration, made me reflect on how it has become a necessity for many facing increasing demands both personally and professionally.
Christine Armstrong’s session on the future of work highlighted this perfectly. She spoke about the growing sense of "overwhelm" that many people feel and shared pragmatic advice for leaders, such as creating supportive environments, reducing unnecessary meetings, and listening more deeply. Her practical approach to improving workplace culture was refreshing and actionable.
Memorable Insights
Several speakers delivered ideas that have stuck with me. Christine Armstrong’s thoughts on workplace engagement, Jimmy Carr’s blend of humor and wisdom about turning challenges into opportunities, and David Meade’s practical tools for influence and communication all provided actionable advice.
Mary Portas shared an impactful observation that trauma can propel us forward because we often have no choice. This resonated with me deeply, as it reminded me of the human capacity to adapt and survive. Ant Middleton’s remark that "Anyone can have an epiphany; it’s what you do with the epiphany that matters" underscored the importance of taking action rather than waiting for perfect circumstances.
Dr. Lollie Mancey’s insights on safeguarding cognitive freedom in a tech-driven world, Dr. Martyn Newman’s focus on emotional intelligence as a leadership superpower, and Aisling Smith’s discussion on inclusivity and neurodivergence further enriched the conversation, offering fresh perspectives that challenged and inspired me.
The Power of Stories
Some of the most powerful moments came from the personal stories shared by speakers like Sugar Ray Leonard and Andre Agassi. Their journeys of triumph over adversity reminded me of the resilience and determination it takes to reach the pinnacle of any field. These narratives were a poignant reminder of the universal human capacity to overcome challenges, a theme that aligns closely with my work as a coach.
Nick Santonastasso’s high-energy session reinforced the value of focus and mindset. He reminded us that events like this are not always about learning something new but often about reconnecting with what we already know. His message that "what you focus on, you get more of" resonated deeply and served as a reminder of the power of intentionality.
A Call to Action
The Pendulum Summit underscored the growing need for resilience and adaptability in today’s world. Many people find themselves in situations requiring deep mental strength and support—a challenge I am eager to address in my work. As a coach, I aim to provide tools and strategies to help individuals and organizations thrive amidst uncertainty.
This year’s summit wasn’t just an intellectual exercise; it was a call to action. It encouraged me to think about how I can apply these lessons to my practice, whether through workshops, one-on-one coaching, or thought leadership.
Final Thoughts
Attending a conference like the Pendulum Summit is more than just a professional milestone; it’s an opportunity to reset and rethink how we approach the challenges ahead. The collective insights from speakers like Christine Armstrong, Jimmy Carr, David Meade, Mary Portas, Dr. Lollie Mancey, Dr. Martyn Newman, and Aisling Smith remind me that these gatherings are not about passive learning but active engagement. For me, this annual event serves as a kickstarter, a moment to pause, recalibrate, and move forward with renewed purpose and clarity.
Reflections on 2024: “Beyond Business Books: Five Reads That Inspired Me This Year”
I had intended to write a piece about the business and coaching books I have read this year, but as I was preparing to do this, it hit me: was there anything I could add to what has already been written? Many of these books have been popular this year, and I wasn’t sure I could offer anything new that you, the reader, might appreciate. Then I had a thought about the books that have left a mark on me rather than just inform and educate, books that offered me perspective, solace, and meaning. These are the ones that have helped me reflect, reframe, and ultimately grow as a coach and advisor.
Some of these books delve into themes that might seem heavy at first glance, mortality, meaning, and resilience, but they’ve been anything but discouraging. In fact, they’ve inspired hope, clarity, and a deeper appreciation for life’s complexities. With the festive season upon us and the last weekend before the holidays fast approaching, I’d like to share these books with you. Perhaps they might resonate with you or even serve as thoughtful gifts for someone in your life. Here are five books that have left a lasting imprint on me this year:
1. The Poetry Pharmacy by William Sieghart
This book is a beautiful collection of poems paired with emotional states and challenges. Sieghart curates’ poems that serve as "prescriptions" for issues ranging from loneliness to stress, offering solace and perspective. What makes this book so powerful is its ability to connect deeply with the reader in moments of vulnerability, you know, those times when you just need something that speaks directly to your heart. For me, it’s been a reminder of how art can distil complex emotions into something comprehensible and healing. This ability to connect with emotions and find resonance is something I often try to emulate in my coaching practice, offering clients tailored approaches that address their unique challenges.
2. Consolations by David Whyte
Whyte’s book offers meditative reflections on words that carry deep emotional resonance, such as “Friendship,” “Heartbreak,” and “Rest.” Each essay encourages the reader to explore the layers of meaning behind these words and their relevance in life’s challenges and joys. This book has been a compass in moments of uncertainty, the kind of book you turn to when you’re searching for clarity, not necessarily answers, but a deeper understanding. Whyte’s reflections echo the approach I aim for in coaching, facilitating self-discovery over prescriptive advice. You can hear David read his essays on Sam Harris Waking Up app something that has only deepened their impact for me.
3. A Beginner’s Guide to Dying by Simon Boas
Simon Boas’s book is a profound exploration of the human condition, touching on themes of mortality, grief, and renewal. It’s a candid and moving account of life’s fragility and the lessons we can learn from embracing it. This book has encouraged me to approach transitions, whether personal or professional, with more empathy and insight, like a gentle nudge reminding you to pause and reflect. Its reflections on growth amidst loss have influenced how I help clients navigate change, framing challenges as opportunities for resilience and renewal.
4. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
This classic has been on my bookshelf for many years but revisiting it this year felt particularly timely. Frankl’s harrowing account of surviving concentration camps during the Holocaust is paired with his insights into logotherapy, the idea that finding meaning is the key to resilience. This book serves as a masterclass in perspective. Helping clients uncover their “why” is often the most transformative step in their journey. Frankl’s insights felt like a confirmation of the power of purpose to carry us through. His testament to the enduring power of hope and meaning resonates deeply in both personal and professional contexts.
5. Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
This collection of reflections encourages readers to embrace the finite nature of life. Burkeman’s practical yet philosophical approach helps to quiet the noise of day-to-day busyness and refocus on what truly matters. I’ve particularly appreciated the simplicity yet impactful nature of his writing. Burkeman’s reflections on embracing limitations as opportunities rather than barriers really struck a chord with me. It’s like he’s saying, “Focus on what counts,” which I guess is what we should try and achieve and learn to compress distractions that confront us.
Why These Books Matter
These books have offered me a fresh lens through which to view both my personal and professional life. They serve as reminders that growth often comes not from quick fixes, but from deeper understanding and meaningful reflection. As you reflect on your own year, perhaps these works can offer you the same gift they’ve given me: a moment to pause, to think, and to reconnect with what truly matters.
If you’re looking for a meaningful gift or simply a way to ground yourself as the year comes to a close, I can’t recommend these books highly enough. May they inspire you as much as they’ve inspired me.
"From BRATS, Manifesting, and Polarising to Enshittification: How Charli XCX and 2024’s Words Defined Us"
As I was preparing to write about further reflections for 2024, the recent wave of articles about the word of the year caught my attention. Every year, the “Words of the Year” lists give us a snapshot of where society is focused, or perhaps distracted. This year, we were gifted gems like "manifest" (Cambridge Dictionary) capturing TikTok’s obsession with visualization, "polarization" (Merriam,Webster) reminding us of societal divides, "enshittification" (Macquarie Dictionary) perfectly describing the decline of once, good things, and "brat" (Collins Dictionary), influenced by Charli XCX’s "brat summer," symbolising a playful yet confident attitude. But one word stood out—not because it won, but because it remains a constant in my conversations with both individual clients and companies: resilience.
Resilience wasn’t officially crowned as a Word of the Year—it was merely shortlisted by Cambridge Dictionary—but it lingers. It’s a word that hovers over discussions about wellbeing, leadership, and workplace dynamics. If I’m honest, I suspect some people are starting to grow tired of hearing it. Yet, the fact remains: resilience is as relevant as ever.
This article isn’t just about words of the year; it’s about why resilience remains a focal point in work and life. What does it really mean? Why does it dominate our conversations? And more importantly, are we doing enough to ensure it’s not just about surviving?
What Is Resilience?
Resilience is often described as the ability to recover quickly from setbacks. But it’s more than just bouncing back; it’s about adapting, learning, and moving forward in a way that fosters growth.
Adversity is a given—whether it’s workplace stress, personal challenges, or global uncertainties. Resilience equips us to navigate these obstacles with purpose, determination, and hope. But in conversations with individuals and teams, I often find that resilience is talked about as a personal trait when, in reality, it’s a shared effort between individuals and the environments they operate in.
Why Resilience Matters in the Workplace
In the workplace, resilience is more than a nice to have, it’s a strategic necessity. As businesses face economic uncertainty, rapid change, and shifting employee expectations, resilience directly impacts outcomes like productivity, retention, and innovation. The numbers make this clear:
Poor mental health costs UK businesses between £53 and £56 billion annually (Deloitte, 2022)
Wellbeing concerns are a leading reason for employee turnover, with 21% of people leaving roles due to burnout. (Gallup, 2021)
Greater workplace well-being is positively associated with increased profitability at the business-unit level. (Krekel, Ward, & De Neve, 2019)
Despite its importance, resilience is often misunderstood as simply enduring hardship. This ignores a key question: Why do we need so much resilience in the first place?
Are We Creating Resilient Cultures—or Just Demanding Resilience?
Organisations often focus on individuals’ resilience, framing it as a personal responsibility. While personal resilience is essential, this approach risks overlooking the systemic factors that create unnecessary stress and adversity in the first place.
Building resilience should not be about expecting employees to endure poor conditions but about fostering environments where resilience becomes a natural outcome. When resilience is built into the fabric of an organization, it shifts from being a survival mechanism to a foundation for thriving.
Resilience as a Shared Responsibility
Resilience isn’t solely the responsibility of organisations. For individuals, it’s about taking proactive steps to maintain wellbeing—prioritizing rest, building strong relationships, and fostering adaptability. For organisations, it means embedding resilience into their culture through:
Transparent communication and realistic goal, setting.
Leadership training to role, model and foster resilience.
Regular wellbeing assessments to identify and address challenges.
The outcome? A workforce that is not only resilient but engaged, innovative, and ready to tackle challenges head on.
Final Reflections: Building Resilience for 2025
As we head into 2025, resilience stands out not as a fleeting buzzword but as a cornerstone of workplaces and lives. The real challenge is ensuring resilience isn’t just about surviving adversity but about creating conditions that allow us to grow and succeed.
If this resonates with you or your organization, let’s continue the conversation. Visit www.anthonyomara.com or reach out directly.
And as for "enshittification"? Let’s make reducing it a priority—for our workplaces, our systems, and the world at large.
Quiet Quitting and Fast Quitting: Two Sides of the Same Workplace Challenge
As the year draws to a close, I am taking the time to reflect on the topics, interactions, and influences that have been prominent in my year. Among them, quiet quitting and fast quitting stand out—not just as workplace trends, but as calls to action for leaders and organisations. These phenomena reveal the tensions between employee expectations and organizational realities, and they remind us of the vital role leadership plays in fostering engagement and retention.
Whether it’s the slow withdrawal of quiet quitting or the abrupt exit of fast quitting, both trends have one thing in common: they reflect a disconnect between people and their work. The question is, how do we bridge this gap?
Quiet Quitting: A Symptom of Disconnection
Quiet quitting has been called the silent workplace revolution, employees staying in their roles but doing only the bare minimum. For some, it’s an act of self-preservation in the face of burnout or frustration. But for organisations, it represents a significant loss of energy, innovation, and productivity.
As someone who’s worked with individuals and teams navigating these challenges, I’ve seen how this disengagement often stems from:
Lack of Recognition: Employees need to feel valued for their contributions.
Unrealistic Expectations: Overburdened employees withdraw when they feel set up to fail.
Absence of Purpose: Without a sense of meaning in their work, people lose motivation.
For organisations, quiet quitting is a wake-up call to invest in leadership and culture. But it’s also a moment for individuals to reflect: Am I truly advocating for what I need, or am I stepping away silently?
Fast Quitting: The Cost of Early Departures
Fast quitting, where employees leave within six months of starting a job, poses an even greater challenge. According to Korn Ferry, over half of UK workers now leave jobs within this timeframe, often due to “shift shock”, the gap between job expectations and reality.
For businesses, the financial and cultural costs of fast quitting are enormous:
Replacing an employee can cost up to twice their annual salary.
High turnover disrupts teams and damages morale.
Trust between employees and leadership erodes with every unfulfilled promise.
Organisations need to address the root causes of fast quitting, including:
Transparent Recruitment Practices: Avoiding "shift shock" starts with honesty during the hiring process.
Effective Onboarding: Employees need to feel equipped and supported from day one.
Leadership Accountability: Managers must bridge the gap between organizational demands and employee needs.
The Leadership Imperative
Both quiet quitting and fast quitting highlight a crucial truth: leadership is the linchpin of engagement and retention. Employees disengage or leave when they don’t feel supported, heard, or connected to their organization’s vision. Leaders who fail to recognize this risk creating environments where talent cannot thrive.
Here’s how organisations can empower leaders to tackle these challenges:
Be Transparent from the Start
Leaders should ensure job descriptions and expectations align with reality. Including incumbent employees in the hiring process fosters trust and reduces early turnover.Foster Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Leaders with high EQ can better manage team dynamics, offer meaningful support, and address concerns before they escalate. Empathy and active listening are non-negotiable.Set Realistic Expectations
Unrealistic demands lead to burnout and frustration. Leaders must balance ambition with achievable goals, ensuring employees have the resources they need to succeed.Communicate Vision and Purpose
People want to know that their work matters. Leaders who articulate the company’s mission and connect individual roles to that vision create stronger engagement.Create a Positive Workplace Culture
Toxic environments drive both quiet quitting and fast quitting. Leaders must cultivate trust, inclusivity, and psychological safety through open communication and genuine feedback.
Individual Responsibility: Owning Your Role
While leadership plays a vital role, employees also have a responsibility to reflect on their own expectations and contributions. In my work with clients, I often challenge them to ask:
Am I clear about what I need from my work, and have I communicated it effectively?
What steps am I taking to grow and develop my skills?
Am I willing to advocate for change, or am I withdrawing silently?
Taking ownership doesn’t mean accepting poor conditions. It means being proactive about your career and seeking support when needed.
A Way Forward: Empowering Leaders, Engaging Employees
Quiet quitting and fast quitting are more than workplace trends, they are signals that something needs to change. For businesses, the message is clear: leadership and culture are key to addressing disengagement and turnover. For individuals, the challenge is to own your career journey, advocating for what you need while contributing your best.
If these challenges resonate with your organisation, or if you’re navigating them personally, I’d love to help. Visit www.anthonyomara.com or reach out directly.
Further Reading
To explore these ideas further, consider the following resources:
“The Great Resignation vs. Quiet Quitting” by Gallup link
“Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink
“Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
“The Joy of Work” by Bruce Daisley
“How Leaders Can Reduce Burnout in Their Teams” by Harvard Business Review (HBR) link
Korn Ferry Report on Fast Quitting link
The FT’s Comment On Burn Out
There have been more articles than I can count about burnout and the great resignation recently but this one in the FT resonated as it identified three areas that may get overlooked as companies rush to find solutions.
https://lnkd.in/dXEWbEQP (this is pay walled)
Many employees feel uncomfortable talking to their manager
about burnout."We have to ask - don't assume”
"You don't have to have the solution, but people need to be
heard".In the rush to find solutions, and there are lots of solutions being proposed, are the safe places being created for employees to be heard and leaders to listen?
#coaching #leaders #people #leadershipdevelopment #burnout #greatresignation #leadershiplens #ft
When Work Life Just Becomes Muscle Memory
Senior leaders I work with tell me that they are stuck and frustrated in “routine”.
Many struggle to free themselves, to make a bigger impact and achieve the potential that they were hired to deliver.
One potential cause is muscle memory.
"Muscle memory", the ability of our muscles to remember certain movements or actions after repeated practice”.
There is a growing concern that our work lives have become so routine and habitual that we are no longer consciously thinking about the tasks we are performing.
Obviously certain parts of work require an element of this, however, when this tips beyond a certain level we may find ourselves going through the motions without really thinking about what we're doing.
Technology has become a driver of why work life has become an exercise in muscle memory. We rely heavily on smartphones, email, and other digital tools to manage our work and communicate with colleagues. These can be helpful and if nothing else allow us to deal with certain elements of work at speed. However, they can also create a sense of automation and routine in our work lives.
As a result, we may find ourselves going through the motions without really thinking about what we're doing. We may be responding to emails, attending meetings, and completing tasks without ever stopping to consider whether these actions are truly necessary or if there is a more efficient or effective way to do them.
Research has shown that when we rely on routine and habit to perform tasks, we may become less creative and innovative. According to a study conducted by the University of Illinois, participants who performed a task repeatedly for several days showed decreased creativity compared to those who performed the task only once.
This is because when we rely on muscle memory to perform tasks, we are less likely to explore new ideas and approaches. Instead, we may continue to perform tasks in the same way because it feels comfortable and familiar.
Likely consequences of muscle memory imbalance in the workplace include:
Less creativity and innovation,
When we are constantly performing the same tasks without thinking, we may become bored or disengaged with work. Which in turn can lead to,
Decreased productivity,
Increased absenteeism,
Low retention rates
Physical and mental health problems.
In a growing number of cases burn out,
This can lead to feelings of exhaustion, frustration, and dissatisfaction, which can ultimately lead to burnout,
Research has shown that burnout is a major issue in the workplace, with an estimated 23% of employees experiencing burnout at some point in their careers.
Some of the ways we can combat this and stop it from happening are.
Create the space and time to allow yourself to regularly evaluate your work habits and routines.
Stay curious by taking a step back and asking yourself whether the tasks we are performing are truly necessary,
or if there is a more efficient or effective way to do them.
Create opportunities for professional development, attend workshops, and encourage knowledge sharing. By continuously learning, you'll be more engaged and less likely to get stuck relying on muscle memory.
Set Personal Challenges: Continuously challenge yourself by setting personal goals or challenges that go beyond your daily routine. These goals can be related to efficiency, productivity, or learning new skills.
Implement "Hack Days" or "Innovation Time": Dedicate specific days or time periods where you can explore new ideas outside of the regular routine.
Seek Feedback. Regularly seek feedback from colleagues or supervisors on your work and processes. Act on the feedback received and on your approach to tasks. By constantly refining and improving your methods, you avoid stagnation and ensure your work remains dynamic and effective.
Practice mindfulness. Research has shown that mindfulness can have numerous benefits in the workplace, including increased productivity, creativity, and well-being.
The phenomenon of work life becoming muscle memory can have negative implications for productivity, creativity, and well-being in the workplace.
However, these strategies can be used to combat this issue.
Let’s get back to purposeful engaged innovative stimulating work.