Sachin Jain: Conventional business wisdom is to “never burn bridges”
“Conventional business wisdom is to ‘never burn bridges.’
They say, ‘It’s a small industry.’
Or ‘You never know when you’ll run into someone again.’
And yet ‘never burn bridges’ is an invitation to perpetuate unhealthy and toxic relationships and situations long after they should have ended.
When we ‘keep relationships open,’ it creates the unhealthy scenario in which it’s acceptable and even encouraged to keep negative, harmful, abusive, and hurtful people in our lives.
And with that comes the implied permission for a negative dynamic to continue onwards long after it should have ended.
Sometimes it’s ok—even the right answer—to burn a bridge.
Even if you think you are losing a potential connection to opportunities, to references, to whatever is promised.
What you lose in connections—you gain in your dignity and self-worth.
Not everyone deserves to be in our lives in perpetuity.
Especially people whose intentions for us aren’t positive…and where the so-called ‘bridge’ always feels more shaky than sturdy.”
Sachin Jain is the President and CEO of SCAN Group and Health Plan and an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He also serves as a Board Member at The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, an Academic Hospitalist (WOC) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and a Board Member at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). He is also a board member of Omada Health.