Building Resilience in Teams: Lessons from Nick Elston and Nikki Marshall
The COVID-19 pandemic forced organisations to rethink how teams function. Overnight, work shifted to remote platforms, meetings moved to Zoom, and teams were fragmented by furloughs and redundancies. The impact went far beyond the office — it rippled into homes, routines, and emotional wellbeing.
In this special webinar hosted by Weston College, mental health speakers Nick Elston and Nikki Marshall shared real, practical strategies for helping teams bounce back stronger — by first learning how to take care of themselves.
Understanding Mental Health as a Muscle
Nick Elston opened the session by redefining mental health.
“Mental health isn’t something you either have or don’t have. Everyone has it — it’s just like a muscle,” he explained.
He emphasised that mental illness must be treated professionally, but mental health can be strengthened daily through habits, reflection, and recovery.
In a time when leaders are juggling their teams’ wellbeing with their own, Elston posed a powerful question:
“Who looks after the people who look after people?”
He reminded everyone that self-care isn’t selfish. Leaders often carry their team’s burdens home, but if they don’t put on their own oxygen mask first, they risk burnout.
Listening Without Fixing
When team members open up about stress, anxiety, or personal issues, Elston advised listening without trying to fix.
“Your job isn’t to be a therapist,” he said. “It’s to be present.”
He explained that people rarely need instant solutions — they need to be heard and understood.
Listening genuinely can empower others to find their own answers.
When deeper support is needed, Elston encouraged “active signposting” — knowing where to direct employees for help, whether that’s HR, counselling, or wellbeing partners.
He added that effective support comes from building trust and creating safe spaces:
“If someone opens up to you, it might be the only time they ever do. Handle that moment with care.”
Creating a High-Performing Day
Elston shared a tool he calls the “High Performing Day”, designed to maintain energy and focus without burnout.
The key: set boundaries and manage expectations — both at home and at work.
He suggested:
- Start the day with small wins — like making your bed.
- Schedule short breaks between calls.
- Communicate any changes in work habits (like longer email response times).
- Use marginal gains — small daily improvements that lead to long-term success.
He also highlighted the importance of recovery:
“Rest, recharge, recover — then go again stronger tomorrow.”
Reclaiming Your Choice
One of Elston’s strongest messages was about reclaiming personal control.
“When you’re anxious or burnt out, the first thing you lose is choice,” he said.
He encouraged participants to focus on what they can control — their thoughts, actions, and how they enter each day.
To challenge negative thinking, he asked:
“Is it fact, or is it story?”
Often, anxiety stems not from events themselves but from the stories we tell ourselves about them. By reframing thoughts and speaking kindly to ourselves, we can shift from fear-driven narratives to confidence-driven ones.
“Every storm runs out of rain,” Elston reminded the audience. “We’ve survived every tough day so far — that’s resilience in action.”
Bouncing Back with Wellbeing
Nikki Marshall, Director of Discover Your Bounce, focused on helping teams build everyday resilience through wellbeing.
She defined bounce-back ability as the capacity to recover quickly from setbacks — and offered a set of simple, actionable strategies for maintaining balance.
1. Check In Daily
Each morning, take a moment to ask yourself:
- How’s my mental health today?
- How’s my physical energy?
- What’s my mood?
Marshall explained that lack of sleep alone can lower mood by 30%. By checking in early, you can take small actions to reset before stress builds up.
2. Plan Wellbeing Before Work
“Put your wellbeing in your diary first — before your meetings,” she advised.
This means scheduling exercise, nutritious meals, daylight breaks, and social time just as seriously as work tasks.
She recommended the “happy kit” idea — a personal list of ten small things that lift your mood, from music to favourite snacks to new socks.
3. Reignite Creativity
Under chronic stress, the brain switches into survival mode, blocking creativity. Marshall suggested incorporating activities that awaken curiosity — music, hobbies, or creative brainstorming — to rebuild motivation and joy.
4. Build a Vision for the Future
Wellbeing isn’t only about today — it’s about having direction. She encouraged setting realistic goals using the GROW model:
- Goal – Define what you want.
- Reality – Identify where you are now.
- Options – Brainstorm possible steps.
- Will – Choose one and act.
Even small, consistent actions toward a goal build long-term resilience.
Add Fun to the To-Do List
Marshall concluded with a simple but often overlooked tip:
“Put fun on your to-do list.”
Laughter and joy release serotonin and dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemicals that enhance focus and problem-solving.
She reminded participants that recovery and positivity are part of productivity — not distractions from it.
Q&A Highlights
During the Q&A, both speakers shared practical insights:
- On scheduling breaks: Create short, ten-minute buffer zones between calls, or simply stand, stretch, and hydrate.
- On switching off: Use “Do Not Disturb” settings and set clear working hours.
- On supporting others: Ask twice — “Are you okay?” and “How are you really?” — and if needed, take walks instead of formal meetings to help people open up.
On self-discipline: Set small, consistent goals, track them using apps like Productive or Dalio, and restart without guilt when routines slip.
Final Takeaway
Louise, the session host, summed it up perfectly:
“Building resilience in teams isn’t just about what we can do for others — it’s about what we can do for ourselves first.”
By practising self-care, setting boundaries, and leading with compassion, we don’t just create stronger teams — we create healthier, happier workplaces that can face change with confidence.
