Are You Building a Resilient Team or One Held Together with Duct Tape?

By Jay Jacobson, LUTCF, CPC, CFSP

It started with a leak.

One of my coworkers grabbed a roll of duct tape and wrapped it tightly around the pipe. The water slowed, the puddle stopped spreading, and for a moment we all breathed easier. Problem solved. Or so it seemed. A week later the tape gave way, the leak returned, and this time it was worse. The patch had bought us time, but it was never a true solution.

That memory often returns when I think about leadership. Too many organizations run on duct tape. They patch over gaps in training. They paper over communication breakdowns. They lean on a few dependable people to carry more than their share. On the surface everything appears to hold, but pressure reveals the cracks. What looks like strength is often only fragility waiting to show itself.

In funeral service, and in any profession built on people and presence, duct tape will not do. Families come to us in their most vulnerable moments. Communities look to us for stability and compassion. A patched-together team will eventually fail them. What we need instead are resilient teams, ones that bend without breaking, adapt without panicking, and endure without losing heart.

The Feel of a Duct Tape Team

I have seen duct tape teams up close. They are constantly out of breath, sprinting from one crisis to the next. Training is inconsistent. Technology is dismissed because “we have always done it this way.” A few strong shoulders carry the load while others hang back. There is just enough energy to survive the week, but not enough to grow. Morale slips. Innovation dries up. The best people quietly make plans to leave.

The Feel of a Resilient Team

I have also seen resilient teams, and the difference is striking. Walk into the room and you notice the energy. Everyone knows their role and trusts one another to carry it out. When challenges come, no one panics. They shift, adapt, and keep moving. Laughter is heard even on difficult days because confidence is high. Training is ongoing, not an afterthought. Technology is viewed as a partner, not a threat. Education is encouraged, not avoided. Conferences are embraced as opportunities, not expenses. When the storms arrive, and they always do, these teams rise together.

Training as the Foundation

Resilience begins with training. Not a one-day orientation that is quickly forgotten, but steady, consistent investment in people. I have seen the change in a young apprentice when training gave them the confidence to sit with a family in their grief. The spark in their eyes was unmistakable. Training builds not only skill, but also pride and ownership. Without it, even routine tasks can feel overwhelming. With it, a team can step into extraordinary challenges and serve with grace.

Technology as a Partner

Resilience today also requires embracing technology. Some leaders fear new tools, worried they will erode tradition or replace human touch. The truth is the opposite. Technology, when used thoughtfully, strengthens human connection. It frees staff from repetitive tasks so they can focus on being present. It allows families scattered across states to join a service in real time. It creates opportunities for richer memorial experiences. Ignoring technology does not preserve culture; it weakens it. Families expect us to be both traditional and modern. Meeting them there is a mark of resilience.

Continuing Education as Fuel

Resilient teams never stop learning. Continuing education is not just a requirement for licensure, it is the heartbeat of professional growth. Learning keeps people curious. It challenges assumptions and sparks creativity. A team that learns together builds collective wisdom that prepares them for whatever comes next. I have watched directors return from a workshop with fresh ideas, or embalmers apply a new technique they learned at a seminar. These moments breathe life into a team.

Conferences as Inspiration

Too often, leaders see conferences as expenses. In truth, they are investments. Conferences place staff among peers who face the same challenges. They offer exposure to new technologies, innovative practices, and emerging trends. They create moments of inspiration that remind us why we entered this profession in the first place.

I have seen weary professionals return from a conference with renewed energy, carrying not only ideas but also hope. They share what they learned, they lift the spirits of colleagues, and they spark fresh momentum. That is resilience being multiplied.

From Duct Tape to Strength

Resilience does not come from patchwork. It comes from vision and steady investment. It grows when leaders make training, technology, and continuing education non-negotiable. It strengthens when staff are encouraged to connect with their peers and bring back fresh insights.

So take an honest look at your team. Are they patched together with duct tape, one more leak away from breaking apart? Or are they resilient, able to bend without breaking and to rise again when tested?

Families need us at our best. Communities look to us for stability and hope. Teams deserve leaders who invest in their growth rather than cover their weaknesses. Duct tape may hold for a while, but it cannot carry us forward. Only resilience can do that.