Professor Andrew Kakabadse’s report for the Institute, Building trust through governance: the role of the company secretary, identified resilience as one of the key traits of successful governance professionals.
At the Institute’s Governance North event, hosted in Leeds on 1 October, our keynote speaker, Patrick Stewart, drew on 23 years in the football industry to share valuable insights into building the necessary resilience to thrive in competitive environments. The five key lessons he discussed with us were as follows:
1. Responding to Setbacks
Resilience is about how you handle adversity. Setbacks are inevitable, but how you recover from them defines your success. He used Sir Alex Ferguson’s dismissal from St. Mirren as a clear example of overcoming failure. Stewart outlined a practical two-step approach to managing setbacks: first, reflect on what went wrong, but don’t dwell on it. Then, use the lessons and emotions to drive a positive response.
2. Taking Responsibility at Every Level
Resilience also means stepping up, no matter your role. Leadership and responsibility shouldn’t only come from the top. At Manchester United, Stewart led the response to a suspected bomb at Old Trafford. He formed a crisis management team when no one else had, showing that resilience means acting when it’s needed most.
3. Surrounding Yourself with the Right People
Stewart highlighted the importance of having the right people around you. Whether on a football team or in the boardroom, a strong network is essential for resilience. He described how his team worked together to manage a cyberattack during the pandemic, keeping operations running smoothly despite the disruption.
4. Maintaining Perspective
In high-pressure environments like football, it’s easy to lose perspective. Stewart described how fans and the media’s reactions can escalate, as in the case of a director’s home being targeted by a mob. He stressed the importance of maintaining perspective at such times. Leaders need to step back, focus on the bigger picture, and stay calm, as he did during the fallout from the European Super League.
5. Building Organisational Resilience
Stewart also stressed the importance of organisational resilience. Businesses need strong systems, clear communication, and a culture of resilience at every level. He noted that football clubs often struggle with this but argued that every organisation, football or otherwise, should prioritise resilience without waiting for external regulation.
To conclude, resilience is a key driver of success, both personally and organisationally. Setbacks are inevitable, but those who respond effectively, take responsibility, and maintain perspective will thrive.
