In business, speed gets all the attention. Companies want faster decisions, faster responses, and faster results. New tools promise to save time. Managers look for ways to move projects forward more quickly. Employees often feel pressure to get through their work as fast as possible.
Yet some of the most costly mistakes happen because someone decided a task was “good enough.”
Aileen Charland has seen this firsthand throughout her career. As Executive Assistant to the CEO and CFO at TRUMPF North America, she works in an environment where attention to detail matters. A missed meeting, an incorrect travel arrangement, or an overlooked piece of information can create problems that affect multiple people.
Supporting senior executives has taught her that thorough work is rarely wasted effort. In many cases, it is what prevents larger issues from developing in the first place.
“I’ve watched entire schedules unravel because of one overlooked detail,” Charland says. “When you’re coordinating for senior leaders, a small mistake rarely stays small.”
Why Speed Has Become the Default
Modern workplaces reward quick action. Employees answer messages within minutes. Meetings are scheduled back-to-back. Projects move from idea to execution at a rapid pace. There is often an assumption that moving faster automatically means performing better.
That assumption is not always correct.
Research from the American Psychological Association has found that constantly switching between tasks can reduce productivity and increase the likelihood of mistakes. At the same time, studies show that knowledge workers spend a large portion of their week correcting issues, searching for information, or dealing with preventable inefficiencies.
Many of these problems can be traced back to rushed work. When deadlines become the only priority, details are often treated as obstacles rather than essential parts of the process. The result is work that looks finished but still requires additional corrections, clarification, and follow-up.
The Hidden Cost of Cutting Corners
Most workplace mistakes start with small oversights such as a missing attachment, an incorrect date, or an unanswered question. Individually, they seem harmless, but they rarely stay that way.
During an earlier role, Charland managed global freight logistics and coordinated international trade shows. One event nearly fell apart when a vendor unexpectedly became unavailable close to the show date.
“It was one of those situations where everything suddenly felt uncertain,” she recalls. “There was pressure to find a replacement immediately, but rushing into a decision would have created even more risk. We took the time to evaluate other options carefully and ended up finding a vendor that performed even better than the original choice.”
The experience reinforced an important lesson. When people panic, they often move faster. In many situations, the smarter response is to slow down long enough to make a better decision.
Thoroughness Is a Competitive Advantage
As organizations become more complex, small mistakes can create larger consequences. Projects involve multiple departments, remote teams, and constant communication, making reliability more valuable than ever.
People remember the colleague who consistently gets things right. They trust the person who follows through. They rely on the employee who catches issues before they become problems.
Charland believes this type of reputation is built through consistency rather than talent alone.
“A lot of career growth comes from becoming someone people can depend on,” she says. “When leaders know they don’t have to double-check your work, that creates trust. Trust opens doors.”
Why “Good Enough” Often Creates More Work
Many people assume thoroughness slows progress. In reality, rushed projects often create extra meetings, revisions, and corrections that take far longer than doing the work properly the first time.
This pattern appears in almost every industry. Software teams release updates that require emergency fixes. Marketing campaigns launch with inaccurate information. Event planners scramble to solve problems that could have been prevented during preparation.
The original work may be completed quickly, but the cleanup often takes far longer. That is why experienced professionals focus on reducing avoidable mistakes rather than simply moving faster.
The Value of Thinking Ahead
One reason Charland has succeeded in executive support roles is her habit of anticipating needs before they become urgent.
Rather than focusing only on the next task, she considers how decisions may affect schedules, departments, and future priorities. This forward-thinking approach helps organizations operate more smoothly and prevents many issues before they appear.
“Some of the best work happens before anyone realizes there could have been a problem,” she says. “When planning is done well, people only see the final result. They don’t see all the potential issues that were avoided along the way.”
That invisible work rarely receives recognition, but it often determines whether a project succeeds or struggles.
Slowing Down Can Save More Than Time
Many professionals assume slowing down hurts productivity. In reality, a few extra minutes spent checking details can prevent hours of unnecessary work later.
Charland has learned that pressure does not always require faster action. Sometimes it requires clearer thinking.
“There have been situations where everyone wanted an immediate answer,” she says. “Those are often the moments when taking a step back is most valuable. A quick review can uncover things that would have been missed in a rush.”
The Real Cost of “Good Enough”
Most expensive mistakes do not begin with a major failure. They begin with a small detail that nobody thought was important. A wrong date. An unchecked assumption. A rushed decision.
In a workplace culture that rewards speed, it is easy to overlook the value of careful work. Yet many of the most expensive mistakes begin with small details that were never checked. Aileen Charland’s experience shows that success is often less about moving faster and more about taking the time to get important things right the first time.
