Sunday, December 21, 2025

The "Janitor" Mindset: Why Execution is Mostly Just Unblocking

Everyone loves talking about Strategy. But you live in Execution.

Most PMs think execution is just "project management"—moving tickets and nagging engineers.

This is wrong.

The Core Insight

Great execution isn't about managing dates; it's about managing momentum.

When a team slows down, it’s rarely a coding problem. It’s a decision problem. “Blue or gray?” “What if the API fails?”

Your job isn't to be the CEO. It's to be the Janitor. You exist to sweep away blockers so the team can run.

The Breakdown

Speed = Decision Latency.

If you answer a question in 6 hours instead of 5 minutes, you broke their flow. Be the fastest API they query.

Context Rot.

Engineers forget the "why" by week two. You must re-inject the user context daily or they’ll just build to the spec.

Scope Discovery vs. Scope Creep.

Creep is adding cool ideas (kill this). Discovery is finding hidden complexity (embrace this). Know the difference.

How to Actually Do This

The "5-Minute" Rule

Tell your team: "If you're blocked, ping me. I will answer or give you an ETA in 5 minutes."

Make "Two-Way Door" Decisions Instantly

Is it reversible? (e.g., button text). Decide immediately. Don't schedule a meeting. Fix it later if it's wrong.

The "Dummy" Walkthrough

Don't wait for the demo. Click through the staging build mid-sprint like a confused user. Catching edge cases now is cheap; catching them at QA is expensive.

The Bottom Line

A high-performing team feels fast because they are never waiting.

Your goal isn't to drive the bus. It's to clear the road.