Burning Bridges

definition:

1. The act of unpleasantly and permanently ending relations with another person, or an organization.
2. To act harshly/disgracefully upon leaving a situation to ensure that you will not be welcomed back.
3. To cut off the way upon which you came from, making it impossible to return or retreat.

A lot of people mess up their professional relationships that they have built in months or even years when they decide to (1) quit their jobs, (2) take a new job offer, (3) speaking or posting in a negative manner about people or organisation, (4) not appreciating someone's efforts after receiving any form of assistance or help from them and a lot more. The expression “burning your bridges” means to act in a way that destroys any chance of returning to the way things were. When you burn your bridges, there is no turning back.

In most cases, the reason why people make a change is to improve their own circumstances in terms of professional growth, pay, commute, or life balance. I have seen in numerous occasions where a valued employee becomes a villain the moment he or she tenders a resignation. The once valued employee is suddenly a traitor, a security risk, and the convenient scapegoat. Clearly, no matter how well a quitting employee handles themselves, they are not fully in control of whether that relationship bridge catches fire or not.

We now live in a world where there are technological advances and social media platforms; the professional community can become smaller than you realize, especially during a job search. Burning your professional bridges can be foolish or it can be a bold career move. It is even bolder if you do it in a public manner.

As good as you think it may feel, resist the urge to seek revenge, inflict pain, or leave your current employer in a lurch. It will eventually catch up with you somewhere down the road. This is not just applicable to your current/past employer but to anyone you have encountered; it can be with someone you met, interviewed with or dealt with during the process. Remember, if things do not work out with your new job, there is no way on earth your old boss will take you back. Ever. And you can also forget about any good recommendations.

Always remain professional regardless of the situation.

People should make sure that before they make decisions, they have thought about it all the way through.

Before you announce your resignation, make sure you have taken the time to fully understand why you would like to leave your job; ask yourself if you have exhausted all internal remedies to meet your needs; consider how you will respond to a counter offer; and above all, ensure your next job is secure. A resignation is really difficult to take back and it is even more difficult to maintain the respect of your manager and peers after letting them know about your decision to leave. Once you have made up your mind, make sure that you will not play games with your current employer, finish your notice and keep working until the end. Always be positive and be appreciative no matter what!

It is never professional to post negative or revengeful reviews online.

There are a lot of online sites and platforms today where you can post a review about your experience with a previous/current manager or organisation. If you have good experience with your employer, they would appreciate a positive review. If you encountered issues or experienced negative behaviors or practices during your employment, the most constructive thing you can do is to raise your concerns to your manager or the appropriate individual while you are still employed and not post them in public.

If you really must post a review, make sure that you ask yourself if you did all you could while you were there to help the company be better. If you did, and still feel compelled to post the review, be sure your intent is to be helpful to the employer as well as to the current and future employees who will be reading the review. Badmouthing anybody says more about your character than the company, the person you are talking about and the previous manager.

For employers, manager and leaders, it is important to examine how you respond to the resignation of your employees and be sure that your responses are in your own best interests as well as the best interests of the employees. Make sure that you always treat them well because you will never know when your paths will cross again.

Past employees are your brand ambassadors and referral partners. 

No one knows your product or service better than your employees and their opinions speak loudly in the marketplace. By maintaining a positive relationship with your past employees, you maintain those brand ambassadors. It is important to recognize that as an employer, you may not be able to meet the developmental needs of your employees. As a result, they must go elsewhere to continue to grow. 

True professionals can handle issues that crop up without causing a scene or complaining to people. The last advise I would like to share to everyone is to not lose your cool, respond appropriately even when the pressure is on and always be mindful of your thoughts and actions.