Why “Accuracy First, Speed Second” Is A Model Every Company Should Embrace

BusinessWhy “Accuracy First, Speed Second” Is A Model Every Company Should EmbraceByRick Tollakson,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramMay 15, 2026, 09:57am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.After accuracy is locked in, you can focus on speed.gettyA garage door is the kind of feature nobody notices…until it leaks. In an instance many years ago, our team hired a subcontractor to install an exterior piece of single-family homes in numerous communities. From the outside, everything looked fine. But over time, water was slowly seeping in, causing damage that no one could see without deconstruction. When the company investigated, the same issue had been repeated across a majority of the homes one of our many subcontractors worked on. Fixing it became a full-scale operation that included contacting every homeowner directly, followed by replacements and a years-long ordeal.The price was substantial financially and in terms of trust and time. All of this could have been avoided if we had a simple “trust but verify” process. And it’s stories like this that illustrate why I now always say, “Accuracy first, speed second.” Accuracy FIRSTUnfortunately, we live in an era where it’s popular to “move fast and break things,” and many have realized it’s not beneficial. While the move-fast mindset might fit some tech and scientific contexts, in industries like construction, the stakes include credibility, trust, and safety. For years, I always talked about the importance of “speed and accuracy.” This is a phrase I’d always hear Jim Hubbell, our former CEO, say at the close of every single executive committee meeting. It became almost a ritual, a mantra of sorts. His point was that we had to maintain our reputation for doing things quickly and well as we grew. For a long time, I repea...