Right Now vs Right: Finding balance when delivery pressure hits

By Senior Consultant, Jennifer McKeen

One of the biggest challenges in programme delivery is deciding when to act fast and when to slow down and get it right. On paper, that decision seems straightforward. In practice, when you’re deep in delivery mode and the pressure is rising, it’s anything but.

Projects rarely run in straight lines. Deadlines slip, new requirements creep in, stakeholders grow frustrated at the timeline. Suddenly the “fix it now” drumbeat is loud, and it feels like the only option is to move quickly and deal with consequences later.

That instinct is understandable. It’s human. But Experience teaches that acting too fast, without thinking about  future compatibility, can create far bigger problems down the line. The hard part is making the call – meeting today’s need without undermining tomorrow’s progress.

When urgency makes sense – and when it doesn’t

The pressures to deliver “right now” come from all angles. Regulators demanding compliance under strict timelines. Senior stakeholders  wanting visible progress. Traders unable to wait because a live deal is at risk.

All of those pressures are legitimate. None can be ignored. But that doesn’t mean every urgent demand should be met with a quick fix at any cost.

For example, we once worked with a client who needed urgent regulatory reporting capabilities for OTC derivatives.  The deadline was real, and non-compliance wasn’t an option. So yes, we moved fast. But even in that high-pressure environment, we made conscious trade-offs. The immediate solution wasn’t perfect, but it was designed to fit into a longer-term architecture. We kept the bigger picture in view, which meant the “fast fix” didn’t block future improvements.

That’s the key. Sometimes you have no choice but to act quickly. But even then, you can decide how you move quickly. Do you patch something in a way that creates rework later? Or do you lay stepping stones toward the longer-term design?

The snowball effect of short-termism

The temptation to keep stacking quick fixes is strong. I’ve seen firms add system after system, customisation after customisation – each one solving an immediate problem but slowly eroding the integrity of the whole.

This is how technical debt builds. A tweak here, a workaround there, and suddenly the operating model becomes unrecognisable. Years later, when the firm finally needs to upgrade or integrate, they discover the backlog of change that needs to be reworked before the change can start because the foundations are  compromised and the solutions developed in isolation.

That’s the real risk of always choosing “right now” over “right.” What feels like speed in the moment can actually create paralysis in the long run.

Keeping short-term solutions close to the end game

The most effective delivery teams don’t treat speed and sustainability as opposites. They find ways to do both.

A principle I return to time and again is this: make the short-term solution as close to the long-term design as possible.

That doesn’t mean every urgent fix must be perfect. But it does mean thinking ahead. If you know the target state, design the quick fix so it points in that direction. That way, when the dust settles, you’re building on the right foundations – not tearing things down and starting again.

This approach requires discipline, and sometimes it means having difficult conversations. Not every “urgent” demand is truly urgent once you unpack it. By stepping back and asking the right questions, you can often reframe timelines and save everyone from pain later.

Right now and right – with the right partner

Urgency isn’t inherently bad. It can focus minds, force decisions, and accelerate progress. The danger is when urgency becomes the only lens.

Knowing when to go fast, when to push back, and how to communicate those trade-offs with clarity is what separates strong programme leadership from reactive firefighting.

That’s where an experienced partner makes the difference. At Liqueo, we’ve been in these situations many times – under regulatory deadlines, on trading floors, and in boardrooms with key stakeholders. We know what happens when speed wins out at the expense of sustainability, and we know how to deliver pace without cutting corners that will cause headaches later.

If you’re facing delivery pressure and need a partner who can balance urgency with long-term value, please get in touch.