Former CEO, Resilience Expert and Extreme Endurance Rower. Tim Harris’ successful business career and background of overcoming adversity gives him a rare combination of the ability to discuss mental resilience and leadership, and regularly speaks on resilience training, bold goal setting, transition, teamwork and, most poignantly, suicide.
Despite suffering severe depression, arthritis and following shoulder reconstruction, Tim completed the world’s toughest row, a three thousand mile unassisted crossing of the Atlantic. When he set this exceptional goal, more people had been into space, and more than ten times the number had climbed Everest than completed this challenge.
The row took two years of preparation and fifty-two gruelling days to complete, over three hundred back-to-back two hour shifts on the oars on three hours sleep a day, a mind-bending feat. Tim translates these struggles to the challenges companies, teams and individuals face, helping audiences deal with stress and combat it. He also throws in amusing stories of nakedness, hallucinations and being dethroned by a flying fish. Tim speaks and coaches on how to manage stressful life changes, having transitioned from global head of a multi-million dollar commodities business to becoming a coach and transatlantic rower. All this having been a long-term sufferer of poor mental health. He was told that neither mentally nor physically would he be able to finish the race. Finish it he did though, raising a hundred and sixty thousand pounds for a teenage mental health charity in the process.
Tim Harris’ expertise on developing resilience, managing change and motivating teams has been sought by companies and elite organisations internationally. From the Royal Marines and the Royal Navy, to Thames Valley Police, Google, The Times and City hedge funds through to the NHS, mental health charities and schools.
After Tim presented to the Royal Navy aboard HMS Warrior the Vice Admiral, Martin Connell CBE, commented ‘Tim gave a masterclass in self-awareness and resilience by telling his personal life story about his Atlantic row, what he learned about himself and how he is now seeking a renewed purpose in his life. Sincere, thoughtful and charming with powerful and memorable messages applicable to all. I would very much recommend Tim as a speaker and leadership coach.
Tim is incredibly passionate about sharing his insights and approach having gone through many struggles himself both at work, at home and while crossing the Atlantic. He will give you practical and simple tactics to massively stack the odds in your favour, eliciting changes in attitude and delivering action points that are immediately usable and relatable.
Tim Harris authentically inspires people to set bold goals, enhance and believe in their resilience, move outside their comfort zones and push their potential helping them to become more than they thought they were.
It’s great to have dreams, but dreams are only dreams without goals. Goals, though, are only goals without processes. Tim talks about setting lofty, uncomfortable goals, where individuals achieve growth. He discusses the necessary processes needed to achieve these goals and how to avoid the cliff edge of ‘goal achieved, now what?’
Tim burned out three times in his career from what he terms toxic resilience. He mistook his mindless grind in the face of insurmountable pressure for work ethic. It wasn’t. Well, it was and it wasn’t. Resilience is on a scale. At one end, it’s healthy, flexible, and sustainable. On the other, it’s toxic, brittle, and delusional. He talks about how to foster sustainable resilience in teams and individuals, focusing on self-care, which leads to longevity and higher-quality work.
He speaks from firsthand experience about the causes and effects of burnout and how, if left undiagnosed, it can lead to depression, ill-health, and potentially suicide.
He talks about how humans thrive on routine. Far from being monotonous or boring, structure serves as the guiding light to productivity and happiness—once you have determined your values and drivers. You must have a purpose and know your ‘why.’
For all the complications in life, we often lose sight of the bigger picture while trying to keep up with the Joneses or live up to our parents’ expectations. He reminds people of that bigger picture, offering them fresh perspectives and arming them with tools for a calmer outlook.
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