Dig deeper with the full Chapter-by-Chapter Review of The Goal. or watch the Video Summary for Chapter 13. [Watch the 60 second YouTube #shorts summary.]

This is the most famous chapter of the book, where we meet an earnest overweight scout, named Herbie. (As a scout parent and frequent chaperone – the troop narrative is accurate.)

Highlight

What’s happening isn’t an averaging out of the fluctuations in our various speeds, but an accumulation of the fluctuations.

Herbie is the constraint – but his pace can be subject to others if it isn’t the focus of the troop. With focus, his pace is the fastest pace the troop can attain.

Page by Page

P094 – “Our troopmaster couldn’t make it,” says one of the boys.

BSA = Babysitter’s of America.

P095 – But I look back again after a few hundred yards, and the column is stretched out much farther.

P096 – “Herbie,” says the fat kid.

Goldratt would not win any awards for political correctness.

P097 – “HEY! LET’S GO UP THERE! LET’S CLOSE RANKS!” I yell. “DOUBLE TIME! DOUBLE TIME!”

Exhortation creates speed for small bursts – but isn’t sustainable. Good systems be effort.

P098 – “You’re doing great, Dad,” he says.

A son’s admiration for his father’s effort does not come lightly. This may be the best praise Rogo gets the whole book.

P099 – Ron is setting the pace.

P100 – What’s happening isn’t an averaging out of the fluctuations in our various speeds, but an accumulation of the fluctuations.

P101 – And that would have to be our throughput—not the rate at which Ron walks the trail, but the rate at which I do.