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The Waiting Game Strategy
Stalling isn’t a plan. It’s a problem - and your customers know it.
R.J. A.
June 19, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
Table of Contents
"I just can't believe the way people are. What is it with humanity? What kind of a world do we live in?" - George
tl;dr
Saying “just five more minutes” doesn’t make time move faster. It drains trust, wears down your team, and chips away at your credibility.
If your business is always almost ready, then you’re already running late.
Previously on Seinfeld
In The Chinese Restaurant (S2, E11), Jerry, George, and Elaine enter a Manhattan minefield: trying to get a table without a reservation. The maître d’ insists it’ll be “5, 10 minutes” - over and over - as other parties come and go.
George spirals over a girl named Tatiana. A phone hog blocks his shot at redemption. Jerry realizes he’s lied to the wrong uncle. And Elaine, desperate and hungry, tries (and fails) to bribe her way to an egg roll.
Just as they finally give up and leave?
“Seinfeld, four?”
The table’s ready.
Yada Yada Insight
Stalling isn’t strategy. It’s slow death.
Bruce, the maître d’, doesn’t say no. He just keeps everyone in limbo. “5, 10 minutes” becomes the mantra of indecision. The restaurant never outright loses Jerry, George, and Elaine… but they lose patience, trust, and appetite.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Founders often do the same. We’re close to launching. That feature’s almost done. We just need one more hire. The stall becomes standard operating procedure. (We unpacked another flavor of this in The Scarcity Strategy, when indecision becomes your silent growth killer.)
Internally, it feels like you’re buying time. Externally, it looks like disarray.
You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be honest.
Customers (and teams) can handle “not yet.” What they can’t handle is being strung along.
The maître d’ lost a table because he refused to set expectations. You’ll lose clients, employees, and credibility if you do the same.
If your go-to answer is “almost,” your real problem might be avoidance.
Unlocking the Vault
The “Don’t Be Bruce” Playbook
Whether you’re launching a product, hiring a team, or raising capital, clarity beats perfection. Here’s how to keep your people informed, not infuriated:
1. Set hard expectations.
If it’s two weeks out, say two weeks. Not “soon.” Vague timelines = vague accountability.
2. Communicate before people ask.
Silence breeds anxiety. People fill in the blanks - and they’ll assume the worst. Proactive updates build trust.
3. Make “not yet” your power phrase.
It’s better to say “We’re still building this for X reason” than pretend something’s ready when it’s not.
4. Beware the 5-minute lie.
Hopeful estimates create operational debt. Be honest about timelines, scope, and readiness, even if it stings.
(For a cousin to this problem, check out The Heart Attack Playbook - where shortcut solutions cost more than the delay.)
5. Exit the limbo loop.
Decide fast: Commit, pivot, or cut bait. Endless waiting costs more than a wrong move.
A delay isn’t a dealbreaker, but dishonesty is. The table might be ready soon, but your customers won’t wait forever.
Running on ‘almost ready’? Let’s fix that.
I help founders build clear systems, accountable teams, and strategies that don’t rely on stalling.
No egg roll bribery required.
Meme of the Week
When the client says they’ll ‘circle back in 5 minutes’… and Q3 just closed.👇
Let’s Catch Up at Monk’s
⏳ Scarcity Strategy – on the illusion of progress and wasted waiting
📞 The Phone Message Strategy – when missed signals mess with momentum
🧯 Too Close for Comfort – on the danger of overinvolvement
💸 Want $500 from Ramp? Use this link — no yada yada.
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