{"id":3124,"date":"2018-08-17T14:00:26","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/?p=3124"},"modified":"2023-03-31T12:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-31T11:41:29","slug":"save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/","title":{"rendered":"How to save your project when a key team member leaves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nobody wants to feel blindsided by a huge plot twist in the middle of an important event, but it happens from time to time. When a<\/strong> key team member leaves before a big deadline<\/strong>, you\u2019re probably feeling panicked about what your next move should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The longer you spend deliberating the ramifications of the huge change that took place, the less time you\u2019re putting towards completing your project. Jump into action immediately \u2013 don\u2019t roll over and give up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go Through the Stages of Grief Quickly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"go<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t spend too long thinking about what happened. Instead, reflect on why the team member left before the project is over. You\u2019ll have more time to contemplate future changes to make in order to prevent the scenario from recurring. Hit all of the stages of grief as quickly as possible. The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key stage of grief is bargaining. Can you bargain with the team members who left in order to get them to stay? Even if you can only convince them to stick around until the project is finished, you\u2019ll be better off for their short term extension. If they won\u2019t stay, acknowledge that it\u2019s a shame and move right along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come up With a Plan Immediately<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"come<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If the old plan you had in place was centered around someone who wasn\u2019t there, don\u2019t attempt to wing it. You\u2019ll wind up with confusion, unevenly delegated responsibilities, and a lot of misunderstandings along the way. Instead, take half a day to sit with the team. Redraw the project from the bottom up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no reason to redo the work you\u2019ve already done, so start your plan from where you are at that moment. Consider it the second leg of the project. Everything you\u2019ve already completed is solidified, and your new venture begins now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important parts of this plan is the way time is distributed. You can\u2019t push even more work onto everyone, especially if the project is already heavy and complicated. You\u2019ll wind up causing burnout among your remaining team members. This can lead to a significant loss of productivity<\/a> and a greater potential for error. The worst case scenario is that burnout will inspire more members of your team to leave, and you cannot afford to watch your whole team drop like flies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might want to consider putting a slight extension on the project deadline if that\u2019s possible. Contact your clients or the higher-ups you\u2019re completing the project for and let them know that you\u2019ve had to restructure the project. Give yourself a little more padding than you might need. The last thing you want to do is deliver bad news a day or two before the deadline, so if you think you\u2019ll need the time, ask for it the moment you know things won\u2019t go according to plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Automate What You Can Automate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You need to make up for time and productivity you\u2019ve lost due to the key team member leaving. Putting artificial intelligence on your side can help you find the extra time you need. Make a list of all the menial tasks that need to be handled as part of or alongside the project you\u2019re currently working on. Figure out what you can automate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your team is responsible for social media or email marketing, adopt SaaS tools<\/a> you don\u2019t already use that will allow you to schedule and manage your workload in a few clicks. You can automate and simplify things like meetings and communication through apps like Slack. Even project management <\/a>organization can be automated through an app. Let certain things roll in the background while you put all of your attention on the big tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have Someone Step Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"consider<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Having the top player on your team leave a project can potentially be good news. It can mean a promising future for the person who was second from the top. Pick this person up and empower them. You won\u2019t need to bring in a new person, train them, introduce them to the team, and wait for them to get acclimated before progress can resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your promoted team member will have the freedom and responsibility that the top team player had. They\u2019ll understand that you trust them enough to fulfill important duties, or even co-manage other members of the team. Your second best will most likely appreciate the opportunity to prove his or her worth and deliver the best results they can possibly deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest advantages of directly promoting your second best to the top of the pack is that this individual is already prepared to take the job. They\u2019ve been paying attention and they understand how the work they\u2019re doing relates to the project as a whole. This knowledge makes it easier for them to delegate other tasks to their remaining team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hire a Temporary Expert<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"hire<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If the person who left was the only person with a particular skill, and that skill is imperative to the completion of the project, it may help to outsource that aspect of the project<\/a> to an expert. Look into freelancers or remote workers with the same qualifications that the departing team member had. Bring them on for the rest of the project, outsourcing the crucial parts that need to be tended to quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might even find that the person you\u2019ve outsourced the job to is so great at what they do that you want to retain them for future projects. If you\u2019re lucky, the freelancer might be willing to accept a permanent position with your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a key team member leave can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Make sure you don\u2019t spend too much time speculating and too little time working towards your end goal. When everything is said and done, you can come up with a strategy to retain top talent to prevent this scenario from recurring. For now, live in the moment and keep moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

About the author:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evie Cooper<\/strong> is a project manager and a team leader, dedicated to helping and supporting UKAreaCode<\/a> \u2013 an online knowledge library. During her years of working with multiple teams, Evie has gained a lot of insight into leadership, team building and HR, which she now shares with other experts online. Privately, a poetry fan and a traveler.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Having a key team member leave can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don’t feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":3208,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0},"categories":[96,97],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to save your project when a key team member leaves<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to save your project when a key team member leaves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Helping teams work better \u2014 insights on productivity, collaboration, marketing, and the tools that make it happen | Futuramo Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-08-17T13:00:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-03-31T11:41:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/leaves-cover.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to save your project when a key team member leaves\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/leaves-cover.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Evie Cooper\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Helping teams work better \u2014 insights on productivity, collaboration, marketing, and the tools that make it happen | Futuramo Blog\",\"description\":\"Exploring Innovation, Effectiveness, and Creativity Across Industries \",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/\",\"name\":\"How to save your project when a key team member leaves\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-08-17T13:00:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-31T11:41:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1e28e62c5627166012c205c0f2980858\"},\"description\":\"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to save your project when a key team member leaves\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1e28e62c5627166012c205c0f2980858\",\"name\":\"Evie Cooper\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1aac3aa6692a67a41358374cae876cc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1aac3aa6692a67a41358374cae876cc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Evie Cooper\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/author\/evie-cooper\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to save your project when a key team member leaves","description":"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to save your project when a key team member leaves","og_description":"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.","og_url":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/","og_site_name":"Helping teams work better \u2014 insights on productivity, collaboration, marketing, and the tools that make it happen | Futuramo Blog","article_published_time":"2018-08-17T13:00:26+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-03-31T11:41:29+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/leaves-cover.jpg"}],"twitter_card":"summary","twitter_title":"How to save your project when a key team member leaves","twitter_description":"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/leaves-cover.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Evie Cooper","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/","name":"Helping teams work better \u2014 insights on productivity, collaboration, marketing, and the tools that make it happen | Futuramo Blog","description":"Exploring Innovation, Effectiveness, and Creativity Across Industries ","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#primaryimage","url":"","contentUrl":""},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/","name":"How to save your project when a key team member leaves","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2018-08-17T13:00:26+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-31T11:41:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1e28e62c5627166012c205c0f2980858"},"description":"When a key team member leaves it can be a significant setback, but it isn\u2019t the end of the project. Don't feeling panicked \u2014 learn what your next move should be.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/save-project-when-key-team-member-leaves\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to save your project when a key team member leaves"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1e28e62c5627166012c205c0f2980858","name":"Evie Cooper","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1aac3aa6692a67a41358374cae876cc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1aac3aa6692a67a41358374cae876cc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Evie Cooper"},"url":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/author\/evie-cooper\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3124"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5207,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124\/revisions\/5207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futuramo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}