The Power of Closing - In Your Personal and Professional Lives
The Forgotten Phase
Project managers teach the full lifecycle. Initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling. But we rarely give closing the respect it deserves.
We rush past it, treat it as administrative, or assume it will “just happen”. Yet in life, just like in projects, the absence of closure leaves people disappointed, confused, or stuck.
Closing is not paperwork.
Closing is completion, clarity, and the emotional permission to move forward.
This article explores why closing is one of the most powerful and most neglected skills we have.
Why We Avoid Closing
People avoid closing for the same reasons they avoid difficult conversations or unfinished business in life:
- It forces reflection
- It requires honesty
- It demands accountability
- It reveals what worked and what didn’t
- It makes us confront the end of something we invested in
In projects, this often shows up as:
- Delayed lessons learned
- Unclaimed value
- Stakeholders left in the dark
- Teams moving on without closure
- Repeating the same mistakes
In life, this often shows up as:
- Unfinished relationships
- Unresolved conflicts
- Half-done goals
- Emotional clutter
- A sense of drifting instead of progressing
Closing is not an ending. It’s a transition.
The Power of Closing in Projects
When done well, closing becomes a strategic advantage. Here’s how:
Captures Value
You lock in what was achieved, what was learned, and what can be reused.
Strengthens Relationships
Stakeholders feel respected when you close loops, communicate outcomes, and acknowledge contributions.
Builds Team Confidence
Teams that finish well carry momentum into the next effort.
Protects Organizational Memory
Without closing, knowledge evaporates. With closing, it compounds.
Reinforces Professionalism
A PM who closes well is a PM who leads well.
The Power of Closing in Life
The same principles apply beyond the Gantt Chart. Here’s how:
Closing creates emotional clarity
You stop carrying unfinished business.
Closing builds trust
People rely on those who finish what they start.
Closing strengthens identity
You see yourself as someone who completes, not someone who abandons.
Closing frees mental space
Every open loop drains energy. Closing restores it.
Closing creates meaning
Reflection turns experience into wisdom.
Closing Is a Leadership Skill
Whether in a project or in life, closing is an act of leadership. It says:
- I honor the work.
- I honor the people.
- I honor the journey.
- I honor the transition to what comes next.
Closing is not the end of the story. It is the chapter that makes the next one possible.
A Call to Action
If we want stronger teams, healthier relationships, and more intentional lives, we must teach closing with the same seriousness as planning and execution.
Closing is powerful. Closing is transformational. Closing is the bridge between what was and what will be.
PML would like to extend a huge thank you to Jim Hannon for sharing his knowledge and wisdom with the PML community!
Learn more about him below and reach out to connect!
About the Author
Jim has over 30 years of experience. Over six years at Fidelity Investments as a Director and Agile Coach, contributing to enterprise-level and team-level Agile coaching.
Leveraging expertise in Agile methodologies, Jira administration, and project management, the focus is on driving continuous improvement and fostering organizational agility. He is currently looking at the impact of AI in project management Responsibilities include chairing the Jira User Group and designing impactful training sessions.
As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP, PMP-RMP, Prince2) and Agility Health Facilitator, the mission is to support Agile transformations and enable teams to thrive. With a commitment to structured coaching and innovative practices, the goal is to empower teams and enhance their adaptability in dynamic environments.
Jim also charging the Product Education Exchange and is working on the impact of AI for today’s Project Manager and the overall impact of AI in the future world. He is also the VP of The Veteran Project Manager Mentor Alliance (VPMMA).
Learn more and connect directly with Jim on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannonjim1/
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