The Truth About Endings

Last week, I sent the final deliverable to a team I’ve worked with for over a year.

I sat with it for a moment before hitting send. And then it was done.

What I felt surprised me — pride, a little sadness, freedom, accomplishment — all at once.

Pride in what we built together.

Sadness because I’m no longer part of their weekly rhythm.

Freedom to create space for what’s next.

Accomplishment knowing they’ve grown and don’t need me in the same way anymore.

That last part is the point: if I’ve done my job well, the team stands on its own.

Still, even positive endings shift something. You step out of a role you’ve inhabited for months — sometimes years — and there’s a quiet recalibration.

I’ve learned not to rush that moment. It's a time to reflect and learn.

In organizations, we often move quickly past endings. A project wraps. A leader transitions. A chapter closes. We pivot to what’s next.

But completion creates capacity try new things, to do different work and to grow individually and collectively.

Before beginning something new, it’s worth asking:

• What just completed?

• And what capacity is now available because it did?