Building Resilience Through Challenging Times

In today’s rapidly shifting environment, where the housing sector is under intense pressure from regulation, funding uncertainty, and skills shortages, resilience has never been more vital. Not just personal resilience, but organisational resilience—built from the inside out, through strong leadership, clear intent, and the ability to navigate uncertainty without losing purpose or momentum.

I didn’t take the traditional route into leadership. I started as a plumber. I didn’t go to university or college. What I did have was grit, determination, and the ability to listen, learn, and grow. I was lucky to be mentored by people who saw potential in me—but my resilience was forged in environments that tested me, where every challenge was a learning opportunity.

Working in property services, compliance, and building safety, you’re often at the sharp end of organisational risk. It’s where operational failures become reputational damage, where technical competence isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. Yet, today, we’re facing a national shortage of skilled, technically capable professionals. Too often, we’re filling gaps with generalists or firefighting with overstretched teams. The sector’s future relies on building a new generation of resilient leaders who aren’t just competent but confident in navigating change and leading transformation.

Why resilience matters now more than ever

The housing sector is facing a perfect storm. Inflation has driven up build and repair costs, recruitment in technical areas is harder than ever, and the pace of regulatory change is relentless. Residents are more engaged and expect more from their landlords. Boards want better assurance. And inside organisations, many teams are stretched thin.

In this context, transformation isn’t just about projects or restructures—it’s about mindset.

Resilience isn’t about being unbreakable. It’s about being adaptable. It’s about recovery, learning, recalibration. I’ve led through crises—compliance failures, restructures, merger fallout, etc , and I’ve learned that how you show up in the hard times matters more than how you perform when things are going well.

What shaped my leadership

I grew up in social housing. That upbringing gave me a level of empathy that underpins my leadership style today. I lead with authenticity, action, and care. I praise publicly and challenge privately. I protect my teams and expect a lot from them because I’ve walked their path. I know how hard the work can be, but I also know the satisfaction of getting it right—of seeing homes safer, services better, and people grow in confidence and capability.

Being in executive roles, and now working as a consultant, I’ve had a front-row seat to transformation done well—and done badly. The difference often comes down to leadership: how you prepare people for change, how you support them through uncertainty, and how you make them feel safe enough to speak up, try, fail, and keep going.

Building resilient organisations starts with building resilient people

Resilient organisations are built by resilient people. But resilience isn’t something you just have—it’s something you build. You build it by creating the conditions for people to step up. That means trust, empowerment, and a culture where it’s okay to get things wrong, so long as you learn from it.

People don’t resist change—they resist confusion. If they understand the purpose behind a decision, and they feel supported, they’ll usually come with you.

As a sector we talk of the importance of technical skills, and whilst these matter,  so does confidence. We talk a lot about competence, but not enough about how to grow it from the inside out. That means investing in people, being willing to back them, and creating safe spaces where they can build their judgement—not just follow orders.

In my experience, the most effective change happens when people feel seen, heard, and understood. You can bring in any system or restructure you like, but if you don’t bring your people with you, it won’t land.

What I’ve learned along the way

1. Resilience is built through experience, not theory. I didn’t learn resilience in a classroom. I learned it on site, on the job, and sometimes the hard way. Leaders must allow space for others to build that muscle too—not shield them from challenge, but support them through it.
2. Change needs champions, not just checklists. Technical change fails without cultural change. You need advocates at every level—people who believe in the mission, even when the path is bumpy.
3. Don’t mistake busyness for progress. Transformation can feel messy. Sometimes, slowing down to get alignment saves you from costly mistakes later.
4. Resilient leaders are reflective. I make time to step back and review. What’s working? What’s not? Am I the leader I would want to work for?
5. Diversity builds resilience. Diversity of thought, background, and experience makes teams more agile, more empathetic, and better equipped to face complex challenges. We must widen the doors and bring more underrepresented voices into leadership.

Top 5 takeaways for leading through change

1. Lead by example
    Be present. Be accountable. Show that you’re in it with your team, not above it.
2. Set clear intentions
   People need to know the why. If you want commitment, don’t just give orders—give direction.
3. Communicate regularly
    Silence creates anxiety. Even if you don’t have all the answers, say what you can—and say it often.
4. Provide clarity and certainty where possible
    Anchor people with what isn’t changing. That stability helps them deal with what is.
5. Be adaptable
    Plans will change. Be ready to shift without losing sight of the outcome—and help others do the same.

Resilience isn’t something reserved for senior leaders or those with tough back stories, it’s something every organisation needs to embed across its culture at every level. From the frontline to the boardroom , resilience shows how people respond to pressure, manage uncertainty, and keep moving forward with purpose.

I’ve seen first hand that transformation only works when you invest in people- not just systems and structures. Building resilience means creating clarity, backing your teams and fostering a culture where challenge is part of growth , not something to fear.

To secure the future of this sector , we need to build resilience in future leaders, but we also need to strengthen it in existing teams, systems and ways of working. That’s how we shift from fire reactive firefighting to long-term, sustainable improvement, and that’s the kind of change that sticks.

Lisa Blamire, Director of LB Property & Compliance Solutions