Running barefoot at Nike

Folks in Nike's "Innovation Kitchen" have developed their latest generation of running shoe by suggesting that serious athletes should train with their feet au naturel. Interviews with track coaches exposed the practice of running barefoot during training and the Kitchen went to work trying to emulate the way feet work when they aren't wrapped in nylon and rubber.

Hats off to the fools at Nike for suggesting that wearing shoes might actually hinder serious athletic pursuits. It's that kind of heresy that leads to truly different ideas.

Suggestion: Do you reap the benefits of a Fool's Box in your organization? Perhaps it's time to look for a group of people who can consider heresies and challenge the status quo without fear of retribution or consequence.

When was the last time your company "ran barefoot."