Bridge Builder is a poem written by Will Allen Dromgoole. It was possibly first published in 1900 in a rare book entitled ‘A Builder’. It’s popularity continues and it is still frequently recounted to this day; likely down to it’s strong inspirational and morale message.
The truth is that most smaller and family owned businesses will suffer set backs, challenges or disruption along their journey. The pressure, stress and sense of overwhelm can be immense and it can often cause some to lose their confidence, motivation and innovation that was so fundamental to them starting their venture in the first place.
When compared to other jurisdictions, even our Government has conceded that Australia has unusually severe insolvency laws which can deter directors from thinking about the interests of anyone other than the banks (Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP). Furthermore, these laws do in fact impede, rather than encourage, corporate rescue, restructuring and turnaround. Fortunately, Australia is presently examining the whole issue of our cultural attitude towards business rescue & continuity, transformation, innovation and turnaround.
Running a successful business is becoming more and more challenging. The good news is that professionals are now able to use innovative new mechanisms to help you when you face crisis – this can alleviate the pressure and help you feel a tremendous sense of relief.
Bridge Builder:-
“An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim, near,
“You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?”
The builder lifted his old gray head:
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”
“The Bridge Builder” Dromgoole, Will Allen (1931)
