I visited the UK a few years ago during what they called the economic recession. It was admittedly not the best time to land in the UK looking for a job, especially as a foreigner having just escaped from university with not a lot of work experience to add to the mix. Anyway, I found work within two weeks and a more permanent position within a month. It was boring work but it paid the bills and it gave me the experience I required to get another position.

The thing which struck me about the economic recession was how people reacted to it. Everyone moaned and seemed to constantly be in fear of being retrenched. You couldn’t sit on the train without hearing about it, pick up a newspaper without reading about it, or switch on the TV without being confronted by more “doom and gloom.” I remember thinking: “Really! There must be a better way to deal with this situation.”

In life we all face times where things don’t go as planned in our work, relationships, church, and finances. This is simply a product of being alive. The thing is, if we wish to be people of influence and live a life of excellence then we need to know how to navigate these circumstances. We can’t wish them away with positive thought and at the same time we can’t drown under negativity. So how do leaders navigate tough seasons? What are the survival skills we need for these tough times?

Shift your perception

Your problem is part of a bigger story. When things get difficult it’s very easy to lose sight of the finish line and the greater story of your life. Confront the reality of the problem and then retain the faith that you will prevail through it. When a Vietnamese prisoner of war was asked how he survived eight years in captivity he said: “I never lost faith in the end of the story.” All difficult seasons have expiry dates.

Shift your intention

Problems and challenges happen, but what marks us as different in these situations is how we behave. Do we let the problem overwhelm us or do we step up and take initiative? Often our instinct when something tough comes, is to pull away. Don’t do this – lean in. Rise up. Do something even if you feel paralysed.

Shift your direction

Difficult times often require new strategies. If something changes, you may need to change too. Often your greatest ideas and accomplishments will come out of the hard pressure of necessitated change. Keep your objectives and try new ways to achieve them. If what you are doing with the kids isn’t working, try something new. If the business is not achieving well, try change your service offerings.

Shift your acceleration

You may not have all the answers to a problem but if you can be quick to move forward and make a decision then you will gain the major advantage of responsiveness. Even if you feel afraid it is important to keep pushing forward. This will allow you to fail early and will move you forward to find something that works.

Shift your allocation

We often invest in the wrong things in life and become caught up in emotional ties. If a product isn’t working, invest your time into one that is. If staff members aren’t pulling their weight, call them aside and have a chat. Invest into the people who are on board and adding value. Take care of yourself so you have enough time and energy to invest where it is needed and stop doing things that aren’t working.

There is a story of Jesus in a storm. He didn’t pretend there wasn’t a storm and he didn’t calm it. He was peaceful in the storm. He told his disciples to trust him, and he said he would be with them until it passed. I often think half of a problem is the gigantic “what if” debate we have in our heads instead of being proactive and trusting God with the situation.  Don’t let storms cripple you – allow them to shape you and grow you. Prepare for them so when they hit your response is defined and let God guide you through them.