When is faster not better? In our warp-speed, 21st-century lives, getting the task completed on time--or ahead of time or before the competition--has become a goal in itself. We want this project done so we can move on to the next big thing. We tick things off our to-do list and gauge each day’s success by how much work we get through and how fast we do it. We expect the same performance from those around us; service is invariably measured by the speed of delivery. We allow this attitude to pervade every aspect of our work. Too often, a quick turnaround morphs from a criterion of varying criticality to an absolute and unchallenged requisite.

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