106 - Finish Strong: Why the End of Your Project Matters Most

Projects aren’t remembered for how they started—they’re remembered for how they ended. In this PM Happy Hour episode, Kim Essendrup and Kate Anderson unpack why finishing strong is critical to your reputation and your project’s legacy.

Drawing on real project stories, they explore the axiom that people will remember your project the way it ended—and two key corollaries every project manager needs to know:

• Corollary 1: People naturally forget past wins and focus on the most recent problems.

• Corollary 2: People will redefine success to fit the outcome—if it gives them a win.

You’ll learn practical practices to keep your stakeholders focused on value, even when things get bumpy, including:

• How to keep your team and sponsors aligned on the value proposition

• Why PMI has redefined project success around value delivered (not just the triple constraints)

• How to reframe challenges as wins without whitewashing reality

• Why a strong finish can redeem a rocky project—and a weak finish can ruin a good one

If you’ve ever had a project limp across the finish line, this episode will give you tools to finish strong and leave stakeholders with the story you want them to remember.

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