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- My Motto This Week: Plan Your Burn, Burn Your Plan
Burning Man is happening this week, and it marks my third year setting up camp in the Nevada desert. I’m certainly still learning the ropes, but judging by the ethos of the community, I’ve probably been a Burner my whole life.
For those of you who aren’t familiar, Burning Man is disruption at its finest. It is not your typical festival. It’s more of a community of tens of thousands of people who come together to build Black Rock City, a decommodified space where participants follow ten core principles that place value in who you are, not what you have.
It’s about collaboration, creativity, and connectivity.
It’s a real-time example of humanity at its finest. And at its dustiest.
It’s home.
You might be thinking to yourself: “Home?! How can a place that inhospitable feel like home?”
Indeed, there’s nothing comfortable about Burning Man.
But when you stop to consider the true meaning of home, it’s not necessarily about feeling comfortable.
It’s about feeling safe. It’s about letting your hair down and surrounding yourself with people who get you. It’s about being seen and understood.
You can stretch yourself in new ways when you can achieve that sense of home. Burning Man, with only ten principles, establishes that sense of home.
As you enter the gates into Burning Man, you can hear people shouting: “Welcome home.” I didn’t understand it in my first year. Now, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.
Another thing people say pretty often at Burning Man?
Plan your burn. Burn your plan.
It’s the perfect motto for anyone who seeks disruption and is open to transformative change.
You know, like me.
As a diligent prepper, I prepare endlessly for Burning Man. I gather my supplies and double-check that I have enough water for the week. I note the workshops I want to attend and the art I hope to see. I map out where I can get boba tea and Sno cones. I plan.
And, inevitably, I burn it.
In such a liminal space like Burning Man, you have no idea what will happen. Of course, that’s the point: To be open to anything. To meet strangers and have serendipitous conversations. To chase DJs until the sun comes up. To express and experiment. To push yourself to the edge of what’s possible.
I’ve found that it’s easier than I expected to do this because of another well-used Burner catchphrase: “The playa will provide.” The playa—a term given to the remains of the dried lakebed that Black Rock City sits upon—may seem harsh, barren, and bleak, but the community that convenes there brings whatever you might need in the moment. It could be a temporary shelter from a dust storm, an ice cream sandwich (that’s a story for another time!), or the suspension of judgment. The playa will provide.
The default world.
After a week in the dust, it’s time to go back to my real “home” and to real life. Some people talk about Burning Man in the “default” world as if it’s in a vacuum—that it’s a momentary opportunity to disconnect before resuming their daily lives.
But when it’s referred to in that way, it’s assuming that you can’t bring the Burning Man ethos—this sense of home and safety—back with you.
I do. I bring the philosophies and the ten principles of Burning Man into everything I do. I often ask myself: How can I establish that sense of safety in my own life, home, and workplace as a leader? How do I practice radical inclusion and self-reliance? How do I trust that my colleagues and my community will provide what is needed? Burner or not, you should consider doing the same.
If you’re heading to Burning Man, I’ll see you in the dust. And, welcome home.
— Charlene
My Latest:
Managing AI-enabled employees feels eerily similar to parenting a teenager. They’ve discovered newfound power and are poised for a rebellious phase. Watch my latest livestream or read my LinkedIn newsletter to learn how to lead (not control!) these empowered teams.
“Is AI going to put me out of a job?” This is the existential question many people are asking themselves. In Leading Disruption, I discuss the balancing act between the value generative AI creates and the human costs.
I’m taking this week off from my livestream (Burning Man isn’t the best place to host one!), but be sure to tune into my next talk on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on LinkedIn and Facebook Live, which will be all about organizing for AI.
VOICE & AI is the leading conference for generative artificial intelligence, and I’ll deliver a keynote speech on Day 1. Watch me talk, virtual or in-person, about crafting a coherent generative AI strategy at the event. You can use promo code CHARLENE20 to get 20 percent off any pass to the conference, which is Sept. 5-7 in Washington, DC.
Good Things:
What I’m watching: “Master the Perfect ChatGPT Prompt.” This YouTube video from tech pro Jeff Su promises to provide the only formula you’ll ever need to perfect prompt writing. In just eight minutes and with real-world examples, he walks through six key components that will rid you of generic responses for good.
What I appreciate: AI Nutrition Labels. How clever is this? Twilio, which helps businesses automate communications with customers, is now placing “nutrition labels” on its AI services that clearly outline how they will use businesses’ data. It’s an important step toward transparency during this delicate time of distrust.
What my sore neck appreciates: MOFT laptop stand. I have an origami-like metal laptop stand but tend to leave it behind, leading to a sore neck from peering down at my laptop. This ingenious option sticks to the bottom of my laptop, so it’s always there. The “high” setting is magic for my posture.
Thank you for subscribing to the Disruption Dispatch, which goes out to thousands of disruptors every other week to help you on your disruption journey—plus a curated recommendation list of a few Good Things I’m enjoying.
Want more? Check out my weekly publication, Leading Disruption, on LinkedIn.
Charlene Li
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