When Your Project Dies
We’ve all had projects that never made it to production, failed, or ended before their time. As I look back on my career, I’ve had all the different types. Yet, I’ve realized a common thread in many of them – others were involved in the decision.
Since I’ve been working on my own, there has been a lot of “test and learn” and failed attempts. I keep a running list of the ideas I tried that fell flat and figure maybe someday the time will be right for them. However, this past week, it was time to more officially lay a project (and its associated digital footprint) to rest.
Drinks to Design was a hobby brand for me that launched back in 2011. I made jewelry from the parts of beer and wine packaging – think glass, labels, cut out portions of cans, and corks. A few examples are in the photo below. While I still love doing this, there are many things that aren’t happening any more like blogging and social media posting.
What the experience made me realize how important it is to let yourself grieve when a big project goes away. I was reminded of how I felt when General Motors made the decision to sunset the Saturn brand (and Pontiac, Saab, and Hummer). For all of us who worked on those brands for years, there is a sadness that is hard to explain. The brand felt almost like a person and losing “them” caused grief. I still look back at my Saturn memories and all the things I learned during that time with fondness…and sometimes a touch of sadness still.
In today’s world, the merging and elimination of marketing agencies seems prevalent, with long-standing brands disappearing. For some people (in fact many), the loss of the brand has also come with the personal loss of a role. Double grief.
5 Steps to Writing a Eulogy for a Project, Brand, or Job
One activity you might consider if you are going through the loss of a project, brand, or job, is to write a Eulogy. Here are five things to consider:
- Acknowledge the Grief – Express the feelings you are having about the loss.
- Celebrate the Wins – Note what you accomplished and what fulfilled you.
- Reflect on Lessons Learned – How did you grow and change in the experience.
- Honor the People You Worked With – What partnerships came from this time.
- Close with hope for the Future – Note how the project/brand/role will carry with you.
To see an example, you can read my Drinks to Design eulogy here.
Posts This Week
Motivation – A Framework for Marketers. After thinking about how motivation shows up in marketing, this post highlights a framework to consider motivation on the dimensions of personal/social and reward/purpose.
Employee Journey Maps and Retention. This post springboards off research from Boston Consulting Group that indicates while employees state rational reasons for leaving a company, retention data suggests that the moves are happening for more emotional reasons.
Book Review: Big Time by Laura Vanderkam. As a reader of Laura’s other books and a fan of her podcasts, I enjoyed reading and reviewing her latest book.
The Best it Can Be. For anyone who is feeling overwhelmed with all the work to be done on the outside of their homes this spring, I hope this post helps provide perspective and break it down.
Podcasts That Caught My Attention
The first on the list is a great pairing for the book review above as it features two of Laura’s books. The other three seem like a good transition into the more relaxing vibe of the summer months. I hope you enjoy.
You Have Time to Read War and Peace (Here’s the Math). 26 minutes. The Next Big Idea Daily. This episode has two sections featuring two of Laura Vanderkam’s books. This first provides the highlights of her new book Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance (my review here). The second provides a summary of her book Tranquility by Tuesday: Nine Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters.
The Power of Rest and Blocking and Protecting Time to Think. 10 minutes. Optimal Work Daily. This episode has two short blog readings, both by Julie Morgenstern. First, she explores how intentional rest and protected thinking time can dramatically improve productivity, creativity, and resilience. Then, she covers how to shift your schedule to make sure you have time to think.
How to Bring More Play into Your Life. 19 minutes. Life Kit. This episode features play researchers and enthusiasts sharing the benefits of play at any age and how to bring more play into your life.
Summer’s Most Magical Moments Happen Around the Campfire. 8 minutes. Optimal Finance Daily. This podcast features insights on how campfire rituals can become spaces for creativity, connection, and reflection. With summer arriving, it’s the perfect time to spend time by the fire.
What Do You Think?
Do you have a closure technique when a project, brand, or job goes away? Could a eulogy help?
Have you read Big Time? If so, what did you think?
What ideas did the posts & podcasts spark that you could implement in the week ahead?