Plan the burn, burn the plan

People think Burning Man is crazy.

They see wild fashion and an anything-goes attitude.

Want to know what I see?

A beautiful experience where judgment is suspended. On the playa, we allow each other the space to be and do and dress and act any way we feel called to.

At its core, Burning Man is a psychologically safe place – and that contains endless learnings and principles we can apply to our workplaces and the “default world.”

This was my second trip to the Black Rock Desert, and while it was again an enlightening experience, it hit differently this time.

The last thing that happens at the Burning Man is the burning of the Temple, a very powerful and moving ritual that I experienced for the first time this year. Throughout the week, people placed meaningful mementos, offerings, and dedications to lost loved ones. The loss was especially palpable because of COVID-19 and the three years that passed since the last Temple burn.

In complete silence, tens of thousands of people watch the flames consume the temple and its contents. We’re bound together in this ritual marking the transitions of our lives. While there’s tremendous grief and sadness, I also felt and saw the love as I witnessed the commemoration of all these beautiful people and the experiences they’d had. The fire marked a transition and a transformation for those of us present, and as I watched I thought about how much change I’ve gone through this past year – and how I finally feel like I’ve arrived at a pivot in my journey.

In that moment, watching the fire, and later, walking around the hot embers, I felt complete.

It’s not to say the transformation won’t continue or I’ll stop changing (no way!). But I felt very clearly that it was time to “put a stamp” on the end of a phase of my journey.

I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t always stopped to acknowledge everything that’s happened over the last year, personally and professionally. I haven’t always paused to see how far I’ve come.

In today’s world of constant change and a forward-looking attitude, we’re quick to skip over the milestones. It’s easy to keep looking for the next moment, the next thing, the next opportunity to transform. But the temple burning ritual reminded me how important it was to acknowledge my journey and embrace it.

If I hadn’t paused, I might not have realized how I felt. I might not have discovered I’m at a turning point, emerging from a liminal space to pause between phases of transformation.

That simple moment of pause as I watched the temple burn, helped me take the important step of forgiveness. I felt forgiveness for myself, for the ways I’ve messed up, and I feel prepared now to move into the next phase of my transformation with an open mind, an open heart, and excitement about the future, instead of thoughts about the past.

What do you need to put a stamp on? What are you commemorating (or avoiding commemorating)? Hit reply and let me know. I love hearing from you.

– Charlene

My Latest: (pull from Content Library)

• Do you radically accept what’s going on… or wish reality were different? 🤔 Leaders must see things as they truly are, not as you want them to be. Check out my latest livestream for a frank discussion on surrender.

• “Thought leadership” might be a buzzword. But sharing your ideas and point of view is always a good idea! In Leading Disruption, I discuss how to make thought leadership work for you.

• One thing I love about Burning Man is how everyone suspends judgment. But most leave that behind when we return to the office. But do we have to? Tune in to my livestream on Tuesday, September 20 to find out how to create psychological safety in your organization.

• How can leadership better embrace change, accept risks, and help organizations become future-ready? That’s what I shared on the Banking Transformed podcast with Jim Marous!

Good Things:

• Reads/Listens:

  • I said this in my last Dispatch, but it bears repeating: I re-listened to Dr. Atul Gawande’s wonderful book Being Mortal, which was especially meaningful as a close family member passed away this summer. It enables us to think and talk about death, not as a topic to avoid but in the context of a life well-lived all the way to the very end.

• Referrals:

  • I’m often asked about my home office setup. Here’s a link to a page that details my office equipment, from the standing desk to the audio/video equipment I use. I started small – upgraded the video with an external webcam then an external microphone and later added better lighting. Watch out – you’ll get sucked in!

• Resources:

  • I just got amazing Bluetooth Megaboom 3 speakers from Ultimate Ears. I had a helluva time getting them to sync, but they survived the dust and heat of Burning Man and still sound and work great.