There are some real parallels between corporate leadership and Burning Man, a network of like-minded creative and resourceful people I’d been hanging out with at an annual gathering in Black Rock City outside of Reno, Nevada.
Burning Man represents an opportunity to practice discipline, transformation, balance and survival in extreme conditions. Embedded in this regenerative experience are a few principles that pertain to corporate culture. One of them is radical inclusion, which welcomes everyone into the group irrespective of background, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
That principle compels different people to work together harmoniously for the greater collective good. Adopting this approach in the workplace encourages diversity of thought and a wider range of perspectives. Another principle is the notion of leaving no trace. At Burning Man, there’s no garbage collecting service; the onus is on the participants, known as “burners,” to remove all their debris and respect communal areas.
Showing the same respect to one’s surroundings in the office, factory or out in the field will help teams develop stronger connections, while taking it up a level may produce a sustainability mindset that can shape corporate culture and have an impact on the communities businesses serve. A third concept from Burning Man that can translate into the corporate world involves radical self-expression, which unlocks imagination in burners whose professional, for example, may be accounting but they’re free to set up a hairstyling salon or whatever other creative endeavor they want.
Imagine groups of resourceful people within a corporate culture who are encouraged to leverage their imagination in a way that reflects what it what is intrinsically unique to them. This energy can be shared with others and align their purpose with the organization’s mission.