In a recent LinkedIn post, Janna Bastow discusses a common pitfall faced by product teams at the start of the year: the insidious “Agency Trap.” Bastow, a prominent voice in product management, highlights how ambitious January plans can quickly devolve into a reactive mode by February, driven by an overwhelming influx of client requests.
Bastow frames this challenge as a “sneaky” phenomenon that can derail product development.
“Most product teams start January with ambitious plans… and by February they’re drowning in client requests.”
The core of Bastow’s message is a warning about the drift from strategic product building to mere delivery mode. She emphasizes that this feeling of being overwhelmed is not a figment of imagination but a real consequence of succumbing to external pressures without proper safeguards.
Understanding the ‘Agency Trap’
Bastow explains that the “Agency Trap” refers to the situation where product teams, intended to focus on strategic development and discovery, find themselves increasingly pulled into a reactive, service-oriented role. This often happens when client requests, or requests from internal stakeholders acting like clients, begin to dominate the team’s bandwidth.
According to Bastow, this shift is particularly detrimental because it starves the product team of the crucial time needed for genuine discovery and innovation. Instead of building the product they initially envisioned, teams can find themselves perpetually firefighting and delivering features that may not align with the long-term product vision or market needs.
“If you’ve felt that slow drift into delivery mode, you’re not imagining it.”
This constant pressure to deliver can lead to burnout and a loss of purpose among team members. Bastow’s insights suggest that a proactive approach is necessary to counteract this trend.
Strategies for Protecting Discovery Time
To combat the “Agency Trap,” Bastow announced she is hosting a live session focused on practical strategies. The session aims to equip product teams with the tools to “hold their ground, protect discovery time, and actually build the product you meant to build.”
As Janna Bastow points out, the key lies in establishing clear boundaries and prioritizing strategic work over reactive demands. This involves:
- Reinforcing the value of product discovery.
- Implementing robust intake processes for new requests.
- Empowering product managers to say “no” or “not now” effectively.
- Ensuring leadership support for maintaining focus on the product roadmap.
Bastow’s forthcoming session, detailed via a link shared in her post’s comments, is designed to provide actionable advice for teams struggling with this common organizational challenge. By understanding the nature of the “Agency Trap” and adopting protective measures, product leaders can steer their teams back towards building impactful products rather than simply fulfilling immediate demands.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Janna Bastow on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on December 18, 2025 | View original post on LinkedIn →