How to Spot a Failing Team in Big Tech: The “Decorating on Shit” Syndrome

What a Rotten Team Looks Like

Formalism overload : The team spends energy on flashy presentations and superficial reports while neglecting actual effectiveness; leaders demand “innovation reports,” products look polished but perform poorly, and data is dressed up to hide lack of growth.

Fake busyness : Members appear constantly occupied with back‑to‑back meetings, overtime, and late‑night documentation, yet the work is surface‑level; critical tasks are ignored and the busy‑work creates no value.

Shifting blame : When projects slip or users leave, the team blames changing requirements, market conditions, or competitors instead of taking responsibility and seeking remediation.

Good workers drained, slackers promoted : High‑performers accumulate more tasks and heavy KPIs, eventually burning out or leaving, while those who excel at making noise and avoiding blame climb the ladder, causing overall capability to decline.

How to Avoid the “Decorating on Shit” Habit

Cut the fluff, focus on substance : Eliminate useless meetings, reduce glossy reports for leadership, and ask before starting any task whether it directly contributes to the core goal; if not, discard it.

Stop meaningless hustle, think before acting : Recognize that busyness does not equal usefulness; regularly pause to identify which activities truly push the goal forward and reallocate effort from trivial chores to key problems.

When problems arise, find solutions, not excuses : Encourage a culture where admitting issues is acceptable and the immediate response is to devise fixes rather than assign blame.

Protect high performers, don’t let them be exhausted : Provide resources and space for the people who drive results, shield them from endless trivial tasks, and limit the influence of noise‑makers who only create distractions.