#BizTok: "Pretend Everything Is a Project"
How to keep a job an in industry that keeps recklessly betting on buzz.
Well, you don’t.
(Read my post about industry layoffs and risky big bets)
Non-stop rejection and the revolving door of studio culture is nothing new to Hollywood. But it may be new for those working in media & tech. The last decade’s content boom, which saw hardware, software, and media companies succeed (and fail) at reimagining themselves as lifestyle brands and studios, has allowed many people of my #careergeneration to exist professionally in relative well-funded long-term comfort. Of course, until now.
Navigating this new era of media and tech, and it’s uncertainty, instability, and brevity, is challenging. But, there’s a lot we can learn from the survivors of the real entertainment industry. Their detachment style is unmatched, and their ability to overcommit crisis energy to something one second, and complete forget about it existed the next, may require some deeper analysis. I spent the last two of three years working with a major studio and here are five key behaviors I’ll take with me forever.
(Even if you don’t work in tech, media, or entertainment, I am sure some man in leadership at your company is modeling themselves after Elon, Jeff or Zuck as we speak… so listen up).
Pretend Everything Is A Project
Start living your professional life as project-to-project, versus year-to-year. In entertainment, there is a surge of exits after every big project or release. Some leave on a high note and use the momentum to hop into their next role, and others get forced out after a flop.