Agile development is full of pitfalls—and many are more interconnected than they first appear. Anti-patterns like micromanagement, overcommitment, artificial deadlines, or excessive process bureaucracy are often not the root problems themselves but symptoms of a deeper issue: the human desire for security and predictability.

“How long will this take?” “How can we guarantee delivery?” “How can we make reliable commitments?”—these questions lead to a compulsion for control, which paradoxically has the opposite effect: uncertainty, pressure, and inefficient structures.

In this talk, we analyze which anti-patterns occur most frequently, how they interconnect, and how teams can break free from them. The key? Honest expectation management, better communication, and a realistic understanding of uncertainty in software development. Those who let go of control gain true agility.