When you’re driving a racecar, as I sometimes do, weight is everything. So much so, that most regulations include a minimum weight for all competitors. Stray below it, and you’re out.
Of course, you can’t afford to be too heavy either. Every extra kilo above the minimum allowed, and you’re giving away precious laptime to the leaner opposition. Mechanics will shave layers of paint from a bodyshell to save a few grams.
The team even calculates how much fuel the car will use lights-to-flag, and puts exactly that amount in the tank. Stuttering to a halt just after you’ve zoomed victorious past the chequer is the best possible vindication that they got it just right. That also explains why there’s a rich history of racecars running out of fuel before the race has finished!
In business too, there’s no shame in winning a client, finishing a project or launching a product just in time, and with the minimum of extra weight or padding.
In fact lean, agile and innovative have become bywords for success in the digital age.
Trim out words, paragraphs, costs, people and anything you can to get a winning impact as efficiently as possible.
Don’t cut it too fine though. Here’s probably the most famous example of that on four wheels!
Let’s get on with it!
Jonny