In a recent LinkedIn post, Janna Bastow, founder of ProdPad, discusses a pervasive issue within product development environments: the tendency for teams to internalize structural problems as personal failings. Bastow highlights how senior product leaders and their teams are often blamed for not being strategic, fast, or commercial enough, despite operating within systems that actively hinder effective product work.
Bastow shared a striking observation from someone working closely with senior product leaders: “You’re being gaslit.” She elaborates on this powerful statement, explaining that the pressure on product teams often comes from organizational structures that prioritize certainty and short-term optics over learning and genuine product development.
“The incentives don’t reward learning. They reward certainty. They reward predictability. They reward short-term optics.”
The Incentive Misalignment in Product Development
Janna Bastow argues that this misaligned incentive structure forces teams into a detrimental cycle. When the organizational system does not support learning and experimentation, but instead demands predictable outcomes, teams begin to feel inadequate. As Bastow notes, this often leads to:
- Teams internalizing failure
- Working longer hours to compensate
- Second-guessing their own capabilities
- Assuming they are the root cause of the problems
This phenomenon is frequently observed by Bastow and her team at ProdPad, where they encounter dedicated professionals attempting to implement modern product management practices within environments designed for traditional control and reporting. “Thoughtful people trying to apply modern product practices inside structures designed for control and reporting,” she writes.
Identifying and Reframing Systemic Issues
The core of Bastow’s message is the critical importance of identifying these systemic issues. She posits that simply naming the problem, while not a magic bullet, can significantly alleviate the emotional burden on individuals. By recognizing that the dysfunction is organizational rather than personal, team members can stop blaming themselves.
“Naming the systemic issue doesn’t magically fix it. But it does change the emotional load. It gives people permission to stop personalizing organizational dysfunction.”
According to Janna Bastow, this shift in perspective is crucial. It empowers individuals to move from quiet burnout to making informed decisions about their future within such environments. She concludes by posing a critical question to her network:
“Where have you seen teams blame themselves for problems that were really structural?”
Bastow’s insights underscore the need for organizations to critically examine their internal structures and incentive systems to foster a healthier and more effective product development culture, rather than inadvertently fostering an environment where talented individuals feel they are the sole cause of systemic failures.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Janna Bastow on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on August 11, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →