I observe a common phenomenon: as organizations grow, they often lose their entrepreneurial spirit. This realization led me to embrace an unusual approach inspired by an ancient Japanese tradition - the Jingu Principle.

A Japanese ritual

The Jingu Principle derives its name from the Ise Grand Shrine in Japan, where every 30 years, the community completely dismantles and rebuilds the temple. This ritual serves multiple purposes: preventive maintenance of the wooden structure, preserving craftsmanship across generations, and ensuring cultural knowledge continuity.

5 year iterations At FreedomLab, we adapted this concept to maintain our boutique spirit and resist the pressure to grow continuously. Our version of the Jingu Principle involved completely dismantling our organization every five years. This meant no staff, no office, no clients, no products, and no credit cards. We would close on Friday and start anew on Monday.

Start, Stop, Continue? This radical approach forced us to deeply consider which legacy elements to carry forward and what to leave behind. It was essentially a grand-scale "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise. Each iteration gave birth to a slightly different version of FreedomLab - from a research boutique to a social innovation agency to a campus. And yes we closed down services or teams and spin-outs emerged to became stand alone entities.

Thinking in generations I won't recommend this approach to everyone, but it was an incredible adventure. It challenged us to rethink our entire existence and purpose every five years. The name FreedomLab remained after the sale and departure of the Original Group, but the soul of our approach and philosophy lives on.

Towards a fourth version?! Now, as we embark on a new venture, I see it as a fourth Jingu iteration. We're building everything from the ground up once again, and I'm excited to see where this journey takes us.

This principle of cyclical reinvention stands in stark contrast to traditional business thinking. It's a reminder that sometimes, to move forward, we need to be willing to start over. By embracing change and shedding the weight of the past, we can remain agile, innovative, and true to our core mission.

Progress while remaing true to the roots

The Jingu Principle isn't just about organizational structure; it's a mindset. It's about valuing adaptability, preserving the essence of your mission while being open to radical change, and never becoming too comfortable with the status quo. And at the same time this is about heritage, keeping the true spirit, skills and values nurtured through the years.

Rubuilding our 'temple' several times