Work at the same company for a long time and in some ways you feel like you are on an island. It’s a pretty great island, where you know most of the other inhabitants, you have a nice cube or office to call your own, there’s a gathering place to grab a cup of coffee, and even a place to eat. If you need medical attention, insurance has been made available to ensure you get better. People know you, treat you with the respect you earn, and you even make lifelong friends. There is purpose, as defined by the work and the “government” of the island. Although on an island, you are not completely isolated. The island has a bridge or two so you occasionally travel elsewhere to conduct business. But you know you can count on scooting back across the bridge to go back to the island, where you belong and feel comfortable.
Well, what happens when you no longer belong on the island? Whoa! You may have been, (as they say on the reality show Survivor), voted off the island, or you may have chosen to leave for good. This is a disorienting, disquieting situation – even if you make the decision yourself.
Your previous work identity is gone; your daily routine destroyed. Perhaps you question your ability to adapt to a different environment – even though you proved yourself more than competent on the island. Your confidence is shaky, and you are a little scared. That’s not a good feeling, and perhaps it makes you angry.
Remember that old adage, “Don’t burn your bridges”? This is the time that advice comes into play. Once off the island, the bridges to other places are your means to navigate the journey ahead to a new place of work. The bridges I’m referring to are your network – the people you know and will come to know in your personal and professional lifetime. The majority of new career opportunities today are found through networking as opposed to job postings. Burn your bridges and you damage your network.
Today, think about maintaining existing bridges and building new ones. Make a phone call or two to touch base with a former colleague you admire. Send a supportive email to a friend. Ask for help or advice from a mentor. Venture outside your comfort zone to make new connections. For goodness sake, don’t burn any bridges! The harsh words, the angry email blast – are not worth the effort or the risk. Leave the bridge intact in your rear view mirror. You never know if your path in life will need to take you back the way you came.
14 September 2009
Bridges
Work at the same company for a long time and in some ways you feel like you are on an island. It’s a pretty great island, where you know most of the other inhabitants, you have a nice cube or office to call your own, there’s a gathering place to grab a cup of coffee, and even a place to eat. If you need medical attention, insurance has been made available to ensure you get better. People know you, treat you with the respect you earn, and you even make lifelong friends. There is purpose, as defined by the work and the “government” of the island. Although on an island, you are not completely isolated. The island has a bridge or two so you occasionally travel elsewhere to conduct business. But you know you can count on scooting back across the bridge to go back to the island, where you belong and feel comfortable.
Well, what happens when you no longer belong on the island? Whoa! You may have been, (as they say on the reality show Survivor), voted off the island, or you may have chosen to leave for good. This is a disorienting, disquieting situation – even if you make the decision yourself.
Your previous work identity is gone; your daily routine destroyed. Perhaps you question your ability to adapt to a different environment – even though you proved yourself more than competent on the island. Your confidence is shaky, and you are a little scared. That’s not a good feeling, and perhaps it makes you angry.
Remember that old adage, “Don’t burn your bridges”? This is the time that advice comes into play. Once off the island, the bridges to other places are your means to navigate the journey ahead to a new place of work. The bridges I’m referring to are your network – the people you know and will come to know in your personal and professional lifetime. The majority of new career opportunities today are found through networking as opposed to job postings. Burn your bridges and you damage your network.
Today, think about maintaining existing bridges and building new ones. Make a phone call or two to touch base with a former colleague you admire. Send a supportive email to a friend. Ask for help or advice from a mentor. Venture outside your comfort zone to make new connections. For goodness sake, don’t burn any bridges! The harsh words, the angry email blast – are not worth the effort or the risk. Leave the bridge intact in your rear view mirror. You never know if your path in life will need to take you back the way you came.
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