“What? Walking on 500°C hot coals? Are you kidding me?” is a fairly typical reaction when we suggest Firewalking for their Team Event. When they know we aren’t joking the next questions is, “But what will my Team get from a Corporate Firewalk?”.

It’s important to know that absolutely every Firewalking Team Event is very different even though our structure and delivery remains the same. The reason for this is that the energy of each Team is different. The energy of the Team will influence the event and the energy of the event will influence the Team. It’s a chicken and egg scenario of sorts but rest assured, there is lots of energy and it is positive energy that benefits everyone there.

In this blog post we will give the most common benefits we have seen during Team Firewalks as well as those we have heard from Teams after their Firewalk. Sometimes, many months after their Firewalk. We will break it down into short term and long term benefits.

Short Term Benefits

SURPRISE!

We always suggest that you keep the Firewalk as a surprise. Knowing what will happen can be too stressful for participants. They can let their limiting beliefs suppress and cancel any interest in Firewalking and then you will have people not showing up that day.

To avoid that, keep the Firewalk a secret. Tell people that they are going to be taking part in an outdoor event and that is it. They will get to know about the Firewalk from our Team and we will use our refined skills and experience to work with the group. Especially if there are any emotions which will not the serve the group positively. But usually, the surprise is a happy one and everyone is excited on some level. And there is always an energy surge from the Team. This surge is part caused by the individual that has always wanted to Firewalk and now their dream is about to become a reality. Yes, it’s true, there is always one in every group!

Very High Levels of Positive Energy within your Team

After the Firewalk there is a real explosion of happiness and joy about what just happened. It lasts for some time. It can last for hours, days, weeks, or months. It depends on the individual, but of course, daily routine takes it away at some point. This excitement and very positive emotions create the perfect moment to start doing things differently, if needed. It is always easier to plant new ideas in a healthy and positive environment.

Firewalking is a strong metaphor to underline important messages

A Firewalk is an amazing tool to make strategic kick-offs, planning, change management sessions, etc., complete. After a long day of brainstorming, thinking, and planning a Firewalk is a wonderful way to bring it all together. If some of the goals set that day seem frightening or overwhelming, you get to take your focus off them for a moment. And after the Firewalk, feeling more empowered and energised, you will see these goals in a different light.

It is about taking the challenge and finishing what has been started. A Team Firewalk can be the ribbon and bow on a very productive Team Day. The missing piece of the puzzle.

Long Term Benefits:

Building Confidence and Breaking Limiting Beliefs

“If you can walk on Fire and not burn, why do you think there is something you can’t do?”

Firewalking creates a strong anchor in the mind of the participant. It builds up confidence about their true potential and their ability to do things better. It motivates the person to start something which had seemed to be very frightening. Experiencing that the impossible is possible, breaks limiting beliefs and really makes people more open to new challenges and opportunities.

It is amazing to see how people walk differently after crossing the coal bed and not because their feet are sore. They walk tall, straight, and confident because they have left their fears and self-doubts on the Fire.

Firewalking is a bit of a crisis

Waiting for the moment to Firewalk, thinking of how it will be, what will others think about me, if I will walk or not walk, what if…? what if…? what if…?

In situations like this, there is a chance to see people in a way we do not see when they are in their Comfort Zone. It is a great chance to get to know each other better, to see the reactions and think how to use this information in work. It is interesting to learn about people who “couldn’t” work together now being able to resolve their problems. They have seen a different side to each other. They have a new perspective and are now working very effectively together.

Team Memories

Shared memories are a fantastic way for a Team to Bond and everyone remembers their first Firewalk. It is something you cannot forget. And if it is the first Firewalk for the team, where they have all faced fears and made strong decisions together, it will be an invisible thread that connects them all.

We have endless stories how the quality of relationships has improved just because of the shared experience made possible at a Firewalk. Like the Father and Daughter, who after a Firewalk, were able to move past their differences of 20 years. They had had a shared experience which gave them a mutual talking point that led to long, sincere conversations.

We have seen it many times, so we know the power of good memories.

You don’t know unless you try

As we said at the very beginning, experiencing a Firewalk is very special. This is a list of benefits we are very sure you will get, but it is far from the limit.

To make sure you, your Team and your Company get the most you can from a Firewalk we have a very serious preparation process. Before your Team Firewalk we like to speak with the manager of the Team, so we know the goals and desired outcomes. We also like to know about any problems in the Team to find the most suitable way to use this strong tool with maximum gain.

The only way to be sure about it is to try!