DON’T BURN ANY BRIDGES

“Sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridge”

“My Thanksgiving” by Don Henley

Don’t burn any bridges is good counsel. Not knowing whether a bridge will be needed to be crossed again necessitates keeping your options open. You never know when you may need to hook up with someone again in business.


The finality of a burning bridge

Conversely, burning bridges is important so that some decisions can be both clarified and finalized. It casts a new light that brightly shines. Ultimately, an unpleasant situation or relationship can then be discarded and you can move on without looking back. Learning from the episode is paramount though.

This is not an easy thing to do as it can come back to bite you, especially in business. There is no going back. Bold actions have bold consequences.

Nevertheless, the other side may attempt to rebuild the bridge if it’s beneficial for them to reconnect. Business can have a short memory, much like politics.