A Real-World Lesson in Building Resilience and Team Loyalty

The Crisis Starts with Your Team

Earlier today, I was catching up with a colleague when the conversation turned to the future of talent. He voiced something I’ve heard a lot lately — concern about how we’ll staff and support our teams in a world of increasing uncertainty. Not just about hiring, but about cultivating and retaining the people already in the room. He was worried about our “local” talent — the folks on our teams right now.

The concerns were real: an aging workforce that’s shrinking, a brain drain into the tech sector, stagnant wages in engineering while compensation balloons elsewhere, and the lifestyle distortion fed by social media glamorizing instant success. All of this stacks up to create an environment where building and retaining a great team feels more difficult than ever.

But here’s the thing: no one on our team is the industry. They’re not statistics or trends. They’re individuals — people with lives, goals, doubts, and ambitions. And while macroeconomic trends can shape the playing field, they don’t determine the outcome for each individual. We do. How we treat them, support them, and help them grow — that’s where the game is won or lost.

To stay ahead, we don’t just need more talent — we need to make the most of the talent we already have. That means investing in people, not just when it’s convenient, but especially when it’s hard. I learned that the hard way on one of the toughest projects of my career.

The Project From Hell

We were a few months into what we thought would be a fairly standard engagement. One major drawing package, one big deadline. Then, almost overnight, the client’s expectations changed. Drastically. They wanted to accelerate the construction schedule and split the scope into three deliverables: one building at the end of schematic design, another at the end of concept design, and the basement at the end of construction documents.

Same team. Same budget. Triple the complexity.

I ran the numbers. I mapped out the options. And then I did what leaders are supposed to do — I asked for help.

Leadership loved the idea of negotiating for an additional fee. Support for the actual work? Not so much. We were on our own.

So I regrouped. I called an all-hands meeting in the boardroom the next morning and laid it out. The new scope, the timeline, the challenge. I asked them to take the journey with me. The room was quiet at first. Then came frustration. Then disbelief. A few voiced how unfair it was. A few more talked about what they’d have to sacrifice. Some said nothing at all — but you could see the panic in their eyes.

So I made them a promise: I would be there with them, every step of the way. If they were working late, I would be working late. If they were feeling burned out, I’d make time for 1:1 check-ins. I’d have their backs, personally and professionally. And I reminded them that while this wasn’t easy, it would be a growth moment — the kind of stretch that pays dividends down the line.

They didn’t leap to their feet in celebration. But they showed up the next day. And the next. And the next.

Tuesday at 10 PM

Fast forward a few months. It’s a Tuesday night. We’re walking out of the office at 10 PM. Spirits are surprisingly high — someone’s joking about their new blue-light glasses, someone else is gossiping about a team member who apparently doesn’t believe in evolution. You’d never guess we were grinding through our third consecutive 80-hour week.

We were days away from our big deadline. Months of effort were finally converging. The hard part was almost over. Or so we thought.

As I walked out, my phone rang. It was the architect. They needed to renumber the floors in the building. I didn’t think much of it. “No big deal,” I said. “We’ll get it done by Friday.”

The next morning, I brought it up at our daily team meeting. The look on their faces said it all. Turns out, the floor number appeared on every single sheet — hundreds of drawings. A manual change. A huge lift.

I felt the air leave the room. We were already stretched to the limit, and now this?

Before I could figure out how to break the silence, one of our youngest team members spoke up: “I can take the floor renumbering.” He had barely a year of experience under his belt, but he laid out a plan. Two more teammates volunteered to help. I was stunned.

That’s when it hit me.

The trust we had built, the solidarity we had fostered, the sense of purpose we had created — it was real. This team, who weeks earlier had felt unsure and overwhelmed, was now stepping up to tackle a new mountain without hesitation. Not because I demanded it. But because they believed we’d climb it together.

What I Learned

When the project wrapped, we didn’t just hit our deadline. We delivered quality work and strengthened a team in ways no training ever could. Not a single person left. Everyone got better. Everyone grew.

And the experience reminded me of four critical lessons in leadership:

1. Embrace Reality and Manage Expectations

Be honest. When things change, tell your people. Don’t sugarcoat it. Transparency builds trust, and trust buys you room to lead.

Practical Steps to Implement:

• Share updates about project changes or company direction as soon as possible.
• Use regular team check-ins or pulse surveys to gather honest feedback and adjust accordingly.

2. Get Your Hands Dirty

You can’t expect people to work themselves to the bone if you’re nowhere to be seen. When you roll up your sleeves, you earn respect. You also build empathy — and that pays off in every future decision.

Practical Steps to Implement:

• Share updates about project changes or company direction as soon as possible.
• Use regular team check-ins or pulse surveys to gather honest feedback and adjust accordingly.

3. Give People an Outlet

Stress, frustration, burnout — they’re all part of the grind. Don’t pretend otherwise. Make space for people to vent, to rest, to reset. And then, keep them moving forward. Because progress — not perfection — is what keeps momentum alive.

Practical Steps to Implement:

• Encourage breaks and time off, especially after intense periods.
• Provide access to mental health resources and create forums for open discussion about well-being.

4. Focus on the Big Picture

People aren’t machines. They need meaning. Help them understand what they’re working for — not just in terms of the company’s success, but their own. Remind them of the experience they’re gaining, the skills they’re building, and the pride they’ll feel when it’s over.

Practical Steps to Implement:

• Create clear pathways for advancement and skill development.
• Advocate for fair compensation and recognition for extra effort.
• Celebrate milestones and acknowledge both team and individual growth.

---

Building Sustainable Teams: A Leadership Responsibility

Before I close, I want to be clear: this story was about a short-term crunch, not a sustainable way of working. Asking a team to push through an intense period is one thing—expecting them to live in that state is another. Burnout is real, and as leaders, it’s our responsibility to protect our people from it.

Not every challenge can be solved by hard work and camaraderie alone. Systemic issues—like fair compensation, realistic workloads, and opportunities for growth—require us to advocate for change at the organizational level. Leadership isn’t just about rallying the troops; it’s about having the courage to push for the resources, policies, and support your team truly needs.

It’s also vital to recognize that every team is made up of individuals with different backgrounds, motivations, and needs. Some thrive on challenge, others on flexibility or purpose. The best leaders listen, adapt, and strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work—without sacrificing their well-being.

Ultimately, we must act with agency and integrity to be the change we want to see in our organizations and our industry. That means not just leading through tough times, but also building the systems and cultures that make those tough times the exception—not the rule.

---

We spend a lot of time worrying about the talent pipeline — where the next generation of leaders will come from, how we’ll compete for the best minds. But in doing so, we can overlook the talent already in the room.

Don’t wait for your team to become great. Lead them to it. Support them when it’s hard. Walk beside them when the load gets heavy. And watch what happens when they realize they’re not in it alone.

Because in the end, the future of talent isn’t about market forces or macro trends. It’s about the humans right in front of us — and how we show up for them.

I’d Love to Hear from You

Have you faced a crunch period that tested your leadership—or your team’s resilience? What helped you push through? What would you do differently next time?

I’d love to hear your story. Just hit “reply” to this email or share in the comments—your insights help make this space better for everyone.

And if this post made you think of a colleague or friend who’s been in the trenches, feel free to forward it their way. These are the conversations that help us all grow.