Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
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Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
1–10 of 18 posts
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#2whoops
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#3[deleted]
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#4I want to do this but somehow it feels that leaving is never amicable unless you bend over backwards to please the employer (ex: delay last date).
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#5Sometimes others start burning the bridges whether you want it or not.
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#6'Never' burn bridges is too absolute a declaration to be possible in the real world.
Some employers aren't worth the effort or brain power to preserve a relationship with. Some are, and some are excellent employers you may not want to part with but are doing so for other reasons.
For myself, I spent about 2 years with a company and I was completely burned out by the end of my time there. 14 or 16 hour days at times, some weeks I put upwards of 2,000 miles on the work truck, no raise throughout my time there despite bringing in more work for the outfit.
To top it off, the owner had a habit of just telling someone not to bother coming in when they gave their 2-week notice, unless he really liked them. Sure enough, when I told them I was burned out and done with it rather than finishing out the two weeks, closing up the reports I was working on, documenting my workflow for someone else and so on, I was asked to turn in my vehicle and phone and get on with it.
All well and good in my opinion as I was completely done with those folks, and it only solidified my choice not to answer any calls from them in the future were I to get any. And there it is, a burnt bridge. Not particularly through my actions or the way I exited, but I'm not sad that its burnt, either.
That said I totally agree with the other point of the article, always turn in your best work. Networking, word of mouth, and relationships are worth far too much for future employment than to risk it on half assing some aspect of a job you don't really like.
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#7Burning bridges is fine. Being scared of burning bridges reduces personal agency.
Burning the bridge doesn't mean relying on previous connections to get ahead, it supposed to be being focused on doing the task at hand with focus, with the mindset there is no going back
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#8Burning bridges is fine. Being scared of burning bridges reduces personal agency. Burning the bridge doesn't mean relying on previous connections to get ahead, it supposed to be being focused on doing the task at hand with focus, with the mindset there is no going back
"Being scared of burning bridges reduces personal agency."
Totally agree. "Don't burn bridges" is also such common, banal advice that it's strange the OP is writing it as if it's a contrarian opinion.
For every story like the OPs there are probably hundreds or thousands of people who tacitly perpetuated bad work conditions instead of "burning bridges".
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#9Burning bridges is fine. Being scared of burning bridges reduces personal agency. Burning the bridge doesn't mean relying on previous connections to get ahead, it supposed to be being focused on doing the task at hand with focus, with the mindset there is no going back
Maybe this phrase doesn't work will in all geographies, but the specific term "burning a bridge" in this context means "leaving on a bad note". Things like yelling, loosing control, flipping off the boss, etc. Things that are undignifying and might spoil an otherwise good reputation or future recommendation.
I recognize that sometimes this is within your control, and sometimes it's not.
Re: Work Hard and Don't Burn Bridges
#10Burning bridges is fine. Being scared of burning bridges reduces personal agency. Burning the bridge doesn't mean relying on previous connections to get ahead, it supposed to be being focused on doing the task at hand with focus, with the mindset there is no going back
"Being scared of burning bridges reduces personal agency." Totally agree. "Don't burn bridges" is also such common, banal advice that it's strange the OP is writing it as if it's a contrarian opinion. For every story like the OPs there are probably hundreds or thousands of people who tacitly perpetuated bad work conditions instead of "burning bridges".
Who said I wrote this as if it's a contrarian opinion? It's just good advice.
I don't know why everyone here seems to be focusing on the negative side of this and responding to this as if those with terrible bosses and bad working conditions should just always put up with it and do whatever it takes to keep the boss happy. That wasn't the point of this post at all.