I was recently told about the concept of running 'naked' and it had very little to do with clothes and a lot more to do with the idea of stripping back all the 'other things' we often run with. Pacing times, heart rates, distances... more often than not measured on 2 smart devices.
Naked running became a reminder that sometimes it is healthy (in more ways than one) to just run, enjoy it, listen to my own response and intuitively work through it.
In business I have had periods of time where I've felt like I'm drowning in data. I recieved an email recently ( I'm still not entirely certain what it was about ) but it had the sentence '...access to optimised data analysis, synchronising a methodical, enhanced and interconnected set of integrated metrics.' Depite my command over the English Language I still have no clue what this means.
It got me thinking: would it even be possible to run a business naked?
Have we become too dependant on reporting, data analysis and management information?
Are we spending too much time creating excel spreadsheets that then take ( too much ) time to open because they are too big?
I accept that there is a degree of measurement necessary, much like running. Helping provide confidence in the navigation of the ship; manage behaviour, minimise risk and track progress.
But certainly in running a business there was a starting point of no data at all.
Technical skill - yes, instinct - likely, gut - plenty, grit - certainly and a healthy seasoning of risk and fear - ABSOLUTLEY.
As with most things it is probably about healthy balance. Having access to the right quality of information supporting a confidence in movement and progress but not being over-reliant on a spreadsheet of numbers to run the company.