Are You the Sprinter or the Coach? (A Mental Model That Fixed My PM Frustration)

I hope I’ve finally understood something: We can’t expect developers to be hyper-active in our backlogs the way PMs are.

Let me give you context.

The Blurred Lines

We all know the theoretical difference between being a product manager, a product owner, and being a developer. We know who’s in charge of writing acceptance criteria, definition of done, and all those things.

But the reality? When you’re lean, the team is responsible—and “team” has a blended meaning.

For instance: During a sprint, during task execution, if you need to change or adapt something—who’s in charge?

This is where things get complicated. And honestly, it was initially frustrating for me.

Why I Was Frustrated

Because I’m an achiever and a very detailed person.

To me, everything is always crystal clear. When I write a task personally, I include all the details. Details matter.

On the other hand, I also expect that if all the details are written, developers will follow everything that’s written.

But sometimes the details I wrote aren’t easy to achieve, or possible, or even useful.

The Team Did Something (But Not What I Expected)

The team I work with is the best team ever. They perform amazingly well.

But they did something, and it disappointed me for a while. Why? Because I thought: “We already discussed this. Why did they do it differently?”

Then I realized something.

The Sprinter vs. Coach Mental Model

We can’t expect everything from our team.

I mean, are they the sprinter or are they the coach?

If You’re the Sprinter

You need to run fast. Period. Even faster every day. That’s your scope.

If You’re the Coach

You check all the details. You define the planning. You set the strategy. You allow your sprinter to run faster and faster.

Over time, some sprinters become coaches, and vice versa. That’s normal.

Who’s Responsible for What?

The coach’s scope (PM): Make sure the backlog is well-prepared. Details are there. But don’t pretend the team will be as detailed as you.

The runner’s scope (Developer): Run fast and make it happen.

The Reality of My Team

I hope, especially with the team I’m working with now, that we’re:

• Respecting each other
• Contributing to each other
• Co-partnering with each other

Sometimes, for completely technical things, developers should write the stories. But then it’s up to us as a team to check and make it happen.

The Numbers

Currently, my team has:

• 20+ developers (internal and external partners)
• 3 people acting as product owners (I don’t love the job title distinction—when the company is lean, titles matter less)

That’s the current ratio.

The Future: AI Will Change This

I believe this ratio might increase soon. Why?

Because thanks to AI, the team will be faster and faster.

The runners will run even faster. Which means we’ll need more coaches.