This is almost too easy. Last week, more than 100 members of Burger King's marketing department, faced with the terrible prospect of being thought of as independent thinkers, walked barefoot over an 8-foot strip of white-hot coals as part of a corporate teambuilding experience at a resort in Key Largo. Okay. And that would be to learn what? How the patties feel? "Honey, don't tell me how to cook a burger. I've been flame-broiled." Alas, more sooner than later, the laws of physics came into play with predictable results. About a dozen people suffered first- and second-degree burns. One woman was hospitalized, and a doctor was brought in to treat the others. The next day, some people were still in such pain they had to use wheelchairs when they went to the airport. Which, some might argue, is where they should have gone a day earlier. But in a strange, sadomasochistic way, maybe they did bond. Robert "Cork" Kallen, owner of the Achievement Group, the company that ran the event for Burger King, told reporters the majority of people "get through the walk without a nick or a blister." (A walk? No. Most of the people who do this are in a major hurry. At best, it's a frantic scurry.) "I wish it didn't happen," Kallen added. "But some people just have incredibly sensitive feet." Wonderful. Blame it on people who have the gall to occasionally wear shoes. How callous. But even some of the Burger King people who were injured gave the experience glowing reviews. Of course, Burger King shelled out $15,000 for this three-hour singe-a-thon, so you'd expect to hear them say what a fabulous time they had. Hey, it's my party and I'll cry if I want to. The premise of firewalking is fairly simple: If you can do it, you can do anything. Afterward, you feel invincible. Because you have stared in the face of sheer agony and survived. It's like that feeling you get when you're leaving a Michael Bolton concert. The earliest known reference to firewalking is from India and dates to about 1200 B.C. People apparently realized how insane it was, so no one messed with it again until Americans (of course) rekindled interest in the early 1980s. Coincidentally, that was about the same time we were discovering Outward Bound, which is basically the same thing. Only instead of fire, Outward Bound makes people dangle from rope bridges and eat roots. It's like paying to be in an Indiana Jones movie. Never mind that scientists could show that firewalking is not terribly difficult because of the low thermal capacity of hardwood and charcoal, as well as the short time people come into contact with them. Motivational speakers saw a chance to get their blistered feet in the door, and corporate America welcomed them in. Tolly Burkan, founder of the Firewalking Institute of Research and Education in San Francisco and the self-described "father of the global firewalking movement," conducts two-hour seminars designed to "upgrade morale, create pride and increase productivity." Just sashay across these glowing embers. "Nothing accelerates personal empowerment and group bonding faster than this," Burkan says on his Web site. "I promise you that these two hours will never be forgotten, not as long as you live." Think about it. There's no way he could be wrong. But just how effective is a little trip down scorch street? Bob Preziosi is a professor of management with the Wayne Huizenga School of Business at Nova Southeastern University. He specializes in teambuilding and executive leadership. "There are no studies that I know of that suggest that walking over hot coals has had any impact on long-term, sustained performance," Preziosi said. "People report feeling wonderful and invigorated, but no, people have not been able to turn this into performance at a higher level." Preziosi believes the euphoria is temporary and that it doesn't address what's really necessary to become a better employee or boss. "The experience itself is very momentary," he said. "You can't have people walking over hot coals every day to build teams or make them more courageous." Well you could, but where would you put the pit? Plus you'd have to hire someone to tend the coals with one of those big barbecue forks. And then there's the question of employees crowding the lines, wanting to take more than one turn. . . . So what do we do, Bob? "A friend of mine, a senior vice president of human resources for a large firm, took out a questionnaire and asked 48 questions in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the team. Then he looked at his own behavior as a leader and made changes so that any weaknesses could be overcome and the strengths could continue. He measured that again six months later." Let's see if we have this straight. Take some time and actually communicate with your employees and ask them what they think. Act on that, and then follow up on it. Nah. It'll never work. "But it did," Preziosi said. "All firewalking is is an attempt to supercharge your employees because of a new product or service . . . something you're trying to make happen that you don't think you can make happen through your own leadership as an executive, when the reality is, you can. "If you're a leader, you can keep your employees interested and excited. "You don't need coals or airplane rides." Airplane rides? They don't make you jump out, do they?