I’m a avid road cyclist, as well as lover of the sport, so it’s no surprise that every year in the month of July I spend mornings watching the Tour de France. I was watching it Monday morning when it hit me…riding a stage race is a lot like working on design projects, or any project for that matter.
In cycling you have goals, whether it be individual goals or team goals, and stage goals or a goal for the entire race (like winning). The same in design…you may have lots of little projects (ie logos, business cards) that lead to a final goal (ie complete company branding). This means while you’re taking things day by day, you have to keep an eye on the big picture.
From the Start
Even within a stage itself there’s connections to starting your career. On flat stages there’s almost always a breakaway within the first 30 minutes. Guys are anxious to prove their worth and to show off their sponsors, as well as thinking about their future career. In design the same applies. When we first get started we try to breakaway from everyone else and produce some wow pieces, with the intent of showing what we can do, and hopefully gain some clients based on the work. Once we’re older, we turn into the rest of the peloton…chasing down that same breakaway we once were in, keeping an eye on the big picture and hoping we have something left for the big finale.
It’s also similar to project management, where at first we have some great leads, and get some things done, but then there’s usually a lull where we’re waiting on others. We’re waiting to catch the break, or to simply answers to questions we sent to the client. At the end of the day, or the project, there’s a huge sprint to the finish. Things are getting tense, and people make more mistakes. The deadline is drawing near, and you don’t push for the finish too soon to avoid burning out, and you don’t want to wait in case someone else gets there first.
Job to Do
There’s also specific roles riders play on a team. Some are sprinters, which have that finishing power and can turn projects around quickly; some are climbers which try to only take on the really big tasks, but can burn themselves by trying; some are the domestiques, only there to help the big boys, get some things done and maybe breakaway for 15 minutes of fame; and finally, the GC contenders, who can take on the big projects and win the race against the clock, but stay focused on their career, and their clients, and somehow are able to balance it all to take the win. Which one are you?
The Epic Cycle
It’s all an epic cycle that repeats day after day, year after year for those who manage any sort of project. And with three more weeks of the Tour de France, I hope to see all of the above happen…finishing sprints, big mountains, and my pick in yellow in Paris. Have any connections to sports of your own?
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