Ep.211 - Fail Forward Faster

Do you feel failure to the point that you don't make decisions and move forward? Jason breaks down why failing forward fast is the key to success in construction, and why adults struggle with it more than kids. Using the Culver's vs In-N-Out analogy, he explains why detaching parts of a process creates waste that looks fast but isn't. He shares Principle 13 from his book (cut for being "only" a 10/10): be flexible and nimble, make decisions slowly with team consensus but act quickly once decided. The key is knowing when your risk profile changes and you must decide now. Fail forward fast on mockups, JHAs, Takt plans, and meetings. But never fail with safety or high-risk items, fail on paper, in planning, in draft form before execution.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Culver's vs In-N-Out: Why detaching order-pay-receive creates waste that masks the true throughput of the system, apply this to construction workflows

• Principle 13: Flexible and nimble means make decisions slowly with consensus, then implement fast with command and control enforcing team decisions

• The Opposing Lines game: Why adults take 40+ minutes while kids solve it in 10, we overthink instead of failing forward fast

• When to fail forward: Mockups, JHAs, Takt plans, meetings, preconstruction, collaboration, get it wrong on paper before execution

• Decision timing: Make decisions before your risk profile changes, waiting too long costs 10x more than deciding now

• Jim Collins: Unify the team after decisions, even dissenters must violently support the final choice or select themselves off the bus

A good plan violently executed today is better than a perfect plan next week.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw