Consultants are often ready to start new projects and add new services. However, Peter Drucker, the management teacher, said it's also important to ask "What can we stop doing?" Ending well is just as important as beginning well. I've stopped several big initiatives when I tired of them, or they were unprofitable. Nothing wrong with that.
In fact, according to Drucker, it's good. However, it's important to position quitting as winning, or to give it a positive rationale. It wouldn't help to say, "I'm stopping because I'm tired of this, it didn't work out, or I'm losing money." Here's how I positioned our departure from a monthly executive breakfast to one of the program speakers.
Barbara,
The ExecuNet meeting on August 11 will be our last. We're discontinuing it to make way for our burgeoning consulting practice.
We've hosted 36 months and entertained 1600 guests—a real whirlwind and Super Bowl performance! Dave Opton, the founder and President of ExecuNet said, "You have done an absolutely super job."
The last meeting will be a bit of a bash honoring former speakers, including you—and this month's presenter, Jessica Jernigan is an internationally-known speaker and published author. The group will still be relatively small (about 50), and I'd love to see you again.
Will you come as our guest? If so, go to www.careerlab.com to see the program and register. Where is says check or credit card, you type in "Guest of BF."
I hope you'll be able to attend,
:B