Episode 39

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Published on:

19th Sep 2025

39. If You're Choosing Between Speed and Quality, You're Already Losing

If You're Choosing Between Speed and Quality, You're Already Losing

Episode 2 in the series: Scaling Growth

Growth creates pressure to move faster. Clients want it sooner. Jobs pile up. Deadlines stack. And if you're not careful, the pressure to move fast erodes the very standards that made your company worth scaling in the first place.

Most founders think they have to choose between speed and quality when growth accelerates. They don't. But the ones who fall for this false choice quietly sabotage their own success.

In this episode of the Scaling Growth series, James Mayhew breaks down why the speed-versus-quality dilemma is a trap — and how founders who accept this trade-off turn their own growth into their biggest enemy. Using real examples from manufacturing, construction, and insurance, James shows how successful companies refuse to accept this false choice and build systems that protect both speed and quality under pressure.

This episode is for founders who feel like they're constantly choosing between doing things fast and doing things right — and are tired of watching their standards slip as they grow.

What you'll take away:

  • Why accepting the speed-versus-quality trade-off quietly sabotages your success
  • How cutting corners "temporarily" becomes your permanent operating standard
  • Why speed without systems is just controlled collapse
  • Real examples of companies that learned this lesson the expensive way
  • How to build systems that make quality automatic, even under pressure
  • Why your standards separate you from every other desperate company trying to grow

Reflection questions:

  • Where are you cutting corners because you think it's the only way to keep up?
  • What would break in your business if you doubled your workload tomorrow?
  • What systems could you build now that would protect your reputation when growth gets messy?

Links & Resources:

  • The Next Question Guide → NextQuestionGuide.com
  • Connect with James on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/jamesmayhew
  • Learn more at → JamesMayhew.com
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About the Podcast

Leadership in 5
Lead better in 5 minutes. Tactical insights for founders who want clarity, momentum, and a business that doesn’t break them.
Execution without excuses. Five minutes. One insight. No wasted words.

Leadership In 5 is the podcast for founders and executives who are done with vague advice and tired of hearing “just communicate better” like it’s a strategy.

I’m James Mayhew. I’ve served as Chief Culture Officer, coached hundreds of leaders, and made the thousand-plus execution mistakes so you don’t have to. I work with high-growth companies that are scaling fast — but who still want to lead with values, not ego.

Each episode delivers one sharp insight you can act on. You’ll hear practical guidance built on clarity, not charisma. No theory. No fluff. Just real leadership tools that work in real companies with real people.

This show exists to help you stop over-functioning, stop repeating yourself, and stop holding it all together just to keep the wheels turning. You deserve a business that works without breaking you.

The show is grounded in The IDP Way, a leadership system built on Integrity, Dignity, and Prosperity. If those words resonate, you’ll feel at home here. And if they challenge you? Even better. Growth starts with honesty.

Want a free companion to the show?
Download "99+ Questions That Create Clarity" at NextQuestionGuide.com
It’s the simplest tool I know to start shifting your team from confused to confident.

Thanks for listening... and for leading.

About your host

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James Mayhew

James R. Mayhew is a leadership coach and strategic advisor to founders and executives building fast-growth, values-driven companies. He created the IDP Way, a leadership system grounded in integrity, dignity, and prosperity. James helps leaders align people, purpose, and performance so their business can scale with clarity, not chaos.

He’s served as Chief Culture Officer, coached hundreds of leaders, and built execution systems that actually work.