How Focusing On Meeting Deadlines Can Cost More Than Missing Them

Core Insights - Treating deadlines as sacred can lead to significant opportunity costs, as it may suppress curiosity and discourage raising concerns, ultimately resulting in greater costs than delays [1][13] - A culture that prioritizes speed over safety can lead to catastrophic outcomes, as seen in various industries including aviation, oil, and automotive [2][3][5] Boeing Case Study - Boeing's rush to compete with Airbus led to the quick certification of the 737 MAX despite engineers' warnings about safety issues, resulting in two crashes and over $20 billion in costs [2] BP Case Study - The Deepwater Horizon oil spill exemplifies a project management failure where pressure to meet deadlines led to ignoring safety warnings, costing BP over $60 billion [3] Volkswagen Case Study - Volkswagen's emissions scandal arose from an unrealistic deadline, leading to the creation of software to cheat emissions tests, resulting in over $30 billion in fines and lost opportunities [5] Samsung Case Study - Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 was rushed to market, leading to recalls and losses estimated at $17 billion due to overheating issues that were not adequately addressed [6] HS2 Project Case Study - The UK's HS2 high-speed rail project saw costs escalate from £30 billion to over £80 billion due to ignoring internal warnings about unrealistic budgets, resulting in wasted resources [7] Berlin Airport Case Study - The Berlin Brandenburg Airport project faced delays and cost overruns from €2.8 billion to over €6.5 billion due to a rush to meet deadlines, highlighting the importance of addressing concerns early [8] Lockheed Case Study - Lockheed's F-35 program suffered from a strategy that prioritized speed, leading to hundreds of billions in costs due to retrofitting aircraft built before testing was complete [9] Sydney Opera House Case Study - The Sydney Opera House project experienced significant cost overruns from A$7 million to over A$100 million due to rushed decisions and scope changes, emphasizing the need for careful planning [10] Positive Examples of Delaying Deadlines - Companies like Apple, Toyota, and Johnson & Johnson have demonstrated that delaying launches to address issues can protect reputation and save money, showcasing the value of prioritizing quality over speed [12]